Comparison of Mechanical Performance and Life Cycle Cost of Natural and Synthetic Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Composites

Abstract

Performance evaluation of cementitious mortar reinforced with natural fibers (jute) and synthetic (polypropylene) fibers is carried out in this article with respect to mechanical response and life cycle cost estimation. The individual mechanical properties of the two fibers were observed to have significantly influenced the mechanical properties of composites. Uniaxial direct tensile and flexural strength of the composites made with jute fibers were higher than those of the polypropylene fibers, whereas the tensile strain and flexural displacement were higher for the polypropylene-based composites, which is in accordance with the response behavior of individual fibers. A combination of these fibers also demonstrated an improvement in strength as well as ductility characteristics, especially with regard to tension and flexure. Life cycle cost estimates and sensitivity analysis demonstrate that polypropylene fiber–reinforced cementitious composites perform better compared to jute fiber reinforcement followed by cementitious samples with no fiber reinforcement.