A short review on the use of coconut shell powder as filler in cement concrete

Abstract

Environmentally-friendly composites had been the interest of researchers nowadays. Therefore the use of natural sources to gradually replace the conventional materials had been rapidly developed. Besides the use of natural fibres as reinforcement in polymer matrix composites, the use of fillers from natural sources, such as rice husk and corn cobs, was implemented in ceramic matrix composites. Solid waste like coconut shell is one of the potential material to be used as filler in this composites. Coconut shell in powder forms is usually used together with cement to produce high strength, more durability and lightweight concrete for structural component in construction area. Based on this review paper, coconut shell concrete showed comparable mechanical properties to the conventional concrete, in terms of its compressive strength. These properties suggested coconut shell powder as potential material to replace course aggregate in concrete.