Mechanical and thermal properties of cement mortar composites incorporating micronized miscanthus fibers

Abstract

This study examines the impact of incorporating micronized miscanthus fibers into a cement mortar, focusing on the mechanical and thermal effects. Initially, an experimental procedure was devised to create mortar mixtures with varying amounts of miscanthus fibers, with a maximum dosage of 7 wt%. This involved saturating the fibers with water beforehand to maintain the workability of the fresh mixes. The resulting hardened bio- based mortars were then evaluated after 28 days in terms of their microstructure, me- chanical strength (assessed through flexural and compression tests), and thermophysical properties (measured using the Hot-Disk technique to determine thermal conductivity/ diffusivity and volumetric heat capacity). The experimental findings revealed significant enhancements (up to 87%) in the thermal resistance of the mortars due to the addition of fibers. However, this improvement was accompanied by a considerable reduction in me- chanical strength. As a result, while these bio-based mortars are unsuitable for structural applications, they still possess adequate mechanical properties for handling and are appropriate for insulation purposes in construction