Mortar Reinforced With Water Hyacinth Fibre

Suchanya Viwatsakpol

Asst.Prof. Duangrudee Chaysuwan, Ph.D.

Greg Heness, Ph.D.
Department of Materials Engineering, Engineering Faculty,

Kasestsart University

Abstract
Water Hyacinth is an aquatic plant which grows rapidly in rivers and other water
systems. The plant can float freely and can spread quickly, this can cause many problems in
local and rural areas. The main objective of this project is to solve the problem of water
hyacinth in local areas by making material use of the plant. The approach taken was to use the
water hyacinth fibres as reinforcement in a composite with a mortar matrix. The composite was
investigated by testing the compressive strength of cube specimens and the bending strength
of tile specimens.
The first method, used dried water hyacinth prepared for weaving work from a rural
area. The mixed fibres were crushed dry fibre, milled dry fibre, long dry fibre, less than 20
mesh Dry fibre and less than 40 mesh. The fibre was mixed with mortar at 1%, 3% and 9% by
mass. Tests of specimens were performed after 7 days of curing. The cube mortar with 1%
<20# water hyacinth fibre gave the highest strength when compared with the ratios 3% and 9%.
From the first experiment, the ratio of 1% gave the highest strength. The second part
was the study of compressive strength where the fibre characteristics were varied. Dry fibre,
dry sulfur-treated fibre, wet sulfur-treated fibre, and raw fibre in 1% by mortar weight were
investigated. The specimens tested after 7 days of curing. The mortar cube mixed with raw
fibre gave the highest compressive strength.
Mortars with raw fibre were studied again with a longer cure. These raw fibre mortar
composites were compared with dry fibre mortar composites. Compressions tests were
performed with dry fibre at 7, 28, 56 and 90 days of curing. For each fibre composition, longer
curing times resulted in higher compressive strengths.
When raw and dry fibre composites were compared in bending strength using tiles, the
raw fibre composite tiles were found to be stronger.

Keywords: Water Hyacinth, Mortar, Compressive Strength, Bending Strength

1. Introduction
Water Hyacinth is an aquatic plant which grows rapidly in rivers and other water
systems. The plant can float freely and can spread quickly, this can cause many problems to
local and rural areas. Problems can include damage or disruption to the environment,
economy, human health, water traffic, or fishing. There is much evidence that suggests water
hyacinth should be taken very seriously and actively controlled. There have been many controls
for water hyacinth: biological (the most successful methods of control and is the preferred long
term method in most situations), chemical (this is the primary method which is commonly used
and less expensive but only effective in the short term), mechanical (the most effective method
but most expensive in terms of labor, time and equipment). Now, water hyacinth has been
utilized as an inexpensive and abundant resource in many countries and many products have
been produced. Some examples of these products are basket work, fertilizer, paper, fibre
board, yarn and rope, briquettes, and biogas.
The main objective of this project is to solve the problem of water hyacinth in local areas
by finding a material use for the plant. We used the water hyacinth fibres as reinforcement in a
composite with a mortar matrix. This composite is intended for use as a structural material in
buildings. In the project we investigated the compressive strength of cube specimens and the
bending strength of tile and bar specimens.
 2. Experimental procedures
2.1 . Materials and procedures

The first method [1], used dried water hyacinth which was prepared for weaving work
from a rural area. The plant was cut, ground, and mixed with mortar. This was referred to as
crushed dry fibre (Cr-DF). Another category of fibres were produced, “long fibre” (L-DF), using
a sieving technique." And the other ground them again, this gave the “milled dry fibre” (M-DF).
Divided some of M-DF for used, sieved for through the 20 and 40 mesh number which called “
<20# DF and <40# DF”. Then mixed the 5 types in each mortar within 1, 3 and 9% by weight of
mortar. And the w/c of mortar was 0.485 and cement per sand ratio was 2.75. then let them
formed in the cubes mold (5*5*5 cm3) for 24 hours, then demolded. Cured the specimens in the
water at room temperature until 7 days aged.

Second, the water hyacinth fibre was collected from the river system near the city of
Bangkok, the plants were cut and cleaned before being, separated them into two groups. One
group for extracting raw fibre by grinding the water hyacinth called “raw fibre” (RF), and the
second group for extracting dry fibre by drying the cleaned water hyacinth in an oven set to 50๐
C for 4 nights. Some of the dried water hyacinth was treated by placing it in a sulfur chamber to
increase workability and reduce brittleness, got dry sulphur treatment fibre (DSF), wet sulphur
treatment fibre (WSF). And the dried fibre without doing anything “dry fibre” (DF). Mixed the 4
kind of prepared water hyacinth in mortar with 1% by weight. Cast the mixed into the cubes
mold and left for 24 hours. Then demolded and cured the specimens in the water at room
temperature until 7 days aged.

The third part, used the DF and RF again to mixed with mortar in 0.5, 1 and 3 % by
weight for made the cube mortar specimens. Cured them for 7,28, 56 and 90 days aged. And
mixed the DF and RF in mortar with 0.5% by weight, this for made the tile mortar specimens
(10*10*1 cm3) cured for 7 and 28 days aged.
2.2. Testing Method

The Universal testing machine (UTM) was used for tested all specimen by the cubes
mortar for test the compressive strength while the tiles mortar for the bending strength when the
aged of specimens until 7, 28, 56 and 90 days. The bonding between mortar and fibre were
examined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

3. Result and discussion

3.1. the compressive strength

From part 1, compared the compressive strength between the mortar with varying the
size of fibre such as M-DF, Cr-DF and L-DF. (fig.1) We found the mortar with 9% L-DF had the
highest compressive strength but this result wasn’t good because the specimen wasn’t crack
when tested, this might from the fibre inside were cross-over together then keep the specimen
shape not crack like other. So, the best result was the 1% M-DF mortar. (Fig.2) Next when
compared the smaller size, we found that the 1% < 20DF mortar gave the highest compressive
strength. The final result from this part was the fibre 1% by weight in mortar is the best
component when compare with 3 and 9 % by weight.
Fig.1 – Compressive strength of the M-DF, Cr-DF, L-DF

12

9.08
Compressive Strength (MPa)

8.45
10
8
6

2.88
4 < 20# DF

0.24

0.17
0.16

0.06
2 < 40# DF
0
Control

%Fibre (By weight)

Fig.2 – Compressive strength of the <20#-DF, <40#-DF

5.92

7
Compressive Strength (MPa)

4.99

6
5
4
2.18
2.06

3
1.75

2
1
0
Control DF DSF WSF RF

Formula

Fig.3 – Compressive Strength with the different characteristic of water hyacinth fibre
 15.13
18

Compressive Strength (MPa)

13.85
16

12.65
11.66
14

10.63
10.58

9.97
12

8.45
10

7.34

7.26
8
5.57
28 day cured

4.88
6
4 90 day cured

1.15
0.61
2
0
Control 0.5% 1% DF 3% DF 0.5% 1% RW 3% RW
DF RW

Formula

Fig.4 – Compressive Strength comparing between DF and RF

The second part of this project, comparing the different characteristic of water hyacinth
fibre such as DF, DSF, WSF and RW. From the Fig.3, the fibre which gave the highest
compressive strength of composite mortar was the RW in 1% by weight. It might cause from the
water inside the water hyacinth fibre came out and help the hydration reaction in mortar.

If studied the mortar with water hyacinth fibre in longer aged as 7, 28, 56 and 90 days of
both DF and RW. We found the mortar with water hyacinth fibre in longer aged gave the higher
compressive strength but the compressive strength of mortar with DF were lower than RF
mortar. The RF when getting older won’t effected the compressive strength of mortar

3.2. Bending Strength

When mixed the 0.5% of DF and RF in the mortar which with sand and without sand then
cured for 7 and 28 days aged. (Fig.5) The tiles mortar with sand gave the higher bending
strength than the tile mortar without sand. The trend of bending strength of tile mortar which with
sand is increase while the bending strength of the tiles mortar without sand was stable. And the
RW also gave the higher bending strength than the DF.

7
Bendging Strength(MPa)

5.15
5.12
6
Control w/s

4.29
5

3.77
Control w/o

2.88

2.86
4

2.78
2.39

2.33
2.31
2.29
3 1.96
RF w/s
2
1 RF w/o
0 DF w/s
7 28
DF w/o
Aging Time (Days)

Fig.5 – Bending strength of tiles mortar

3.3. The microstructures

The Fig.6 is the microstructure inside the water hyacinth fibre which look like net
crossing over cover each other.

From the Fig.7 and Fig. 8, the bonding between the water hyacinth and the mortar were
found but it weren’t occur everywhere equally. And the porosity inside the mortar with 9% L-DF
were found much more the 1% <20#DF
 Fig.6 – Microstructure inside the water hyacinth fibre

Fig.8 – Microstructure inside the 1% 20# DF cube mortar, 200x

Fig.9 – Microstructure inside the 9% L - DF cube mortar, 200x

4. Conclusions
The mortar mixed with 1% by weigh gave the best result when compared with 3 and 9%.
RF mixed with mortar gave higher compressive strength for cube mortar and also gave higher
bending strength for the tile mortar than the DF. The longer aged mortar had the higher
compressive strength. The sand in tile mortar gave the good bending strength.

5. Acknowledgement
 The authors thank for the financial support by Australia – Thailand Institute, department of
Physics and Advanced Materials faculty of science University of technology, Sydney and
department of Materials Engineering faculty of engineering Kasetsart University.

6. References
[1] บุรฉัตร ฉัตรวีระ, พิชยั นิมิตสองสกุล, 2538, การประยุกต์ใช้ เส้ นใยผักตบชวาเสริ มในแผ่น
หลังคา,วิศวกรรมสาร ฉบับ วส.ท เทคโนโลยี, หน้ า 35-42
[2] Standard Test Method For Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars
(Using 2-in. or[50-mm] Cube Specimens), United States.
[3] Fathollah Sajedi , Hashim Abdul Razak,2011, The effect of curing temperature on
sulphate-resistant cement hydration and strength, Construction and Building
Materials 25,pp. 2036–2045
[4] I.Elkhadiri, F.Puertas,2008, The effect of curing temperature on sulphate-resistant
cement hydration and strength, Construction and Building Materials 22,pp. 1331–
1341