Bi-product utilization of eco-friendly agro-stone panels: bamboo fiber as a cost-effective fiberglass substitute in low-cost housing

The agro-stone panel is a sustainable building material that is gaining popularity in the construction industry of developing countries where they are commonly used for partition walls in low-cost housing projects. This study investigates the partial replacement of fiberglass with bamboo fiber in ag...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bahiru Bewket Mitikie, Simachew Birile Chekele, Walied A Elsaigh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:Materials Research Express
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/add652
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850154497671692288
author Bahiru Bewket Mitikie
Simachew Birile Chekele
Walied A Elsaigh
author_facet Bahiru Bewket Mitikie
Simachew Birile Chekele
Walied A Elsaigh
author_sort Bahiru Bewket Mitikie
collection DOAJ
description The agro-stone panel is a sustainable building material that is gaining popularity in the construction industry of developing countries where they are commonly used for partition walls in low-cost housing projects. This study investigates the partial replacement of fiberglass with bamboo fiber in agro-stone panels to enhance cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and reduce weight. The panels are made using pumice and bagasse as fillers, magnesium oxide (MgO) and magnesium chloride (MgCl _2 ) as binders, and fiberglass and bamboo fiber as reinforcement. Bamboo fiber is a natural fiber used as reinforcement and was extracted by the mechano-chemical method using basic procedures. Specimens were prepared with varying bamboo fiber contents of 0%, 4%, 8%, and 12%. Tests were conducted at 7 and 28 days to determine the physical and mechanical strength of the specimens. The bulk and dry density of the agrostone were conducted, and the results show the density decreases as the percentage of fiber increases for all composites. The density of bamboo fiber is smaller than that of fiberglass and indicates the light weightiness of the product. The bulk and oven-dry density of all specimens were analyzed, yielding values between 1–1.3 g cm ^−3 , which decrease with increasing percentage of bamboo fiber, indicating a lightweight nature. Moisture content, water absorption of the fiber, water absorption of the specimens, and specific gravity of the specimens had a result of 6.38%, 9%, 18%–20%, and 0.76, respectively. The compressive and flexural strength reached their maximum value at 8% of fiber content replacement and decreased beyond this percentage due to increased water absorption of the bamboo fiber. As a conclusion, bamboo fiber offers a cost-effective alternative to fiberglass in the production of eco-friendly agro-stone panels for low-cost housing.
format Article
id doaj-art-d5f14e9af6fa4d2f87edf38f8a8a70b5
institution OA Journals
issn 2053-1591
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher IOP Publishing
record_format Article
series Materials Research Express
spelling doaj-art-d5f14e9af6fa4d2f87edf38f8a8a70b52025-08-20T02:25:17ZengIOP PublishingMaterials Research Express2053-15912025-01-0112505550210.1088/2053-1591/add652Bi-product utilization of eco-friendly agro-stone panels: bamboo fiber as a cost-effective fiberglass substitute in low-cost housingBahiru Bewket Mitikie0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-7478Simachew Birile Chekele1Walied A Elsaigh2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1668-3104Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Building Science, University of South Africa , Johannesburg, South AfricaDepartment of Construction Technology and Management, Wolkite University , Wolkite, EthiopiaDepartment of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Building Science, University of South Africa , Johannesburg, South AfricaThe agro-stone panel is a sustainable building material that is gaining popularity in the construction industry of developing countries where they are commonly used for partition walls in low-cost housing projects. This study investigates the partial replacement of fiberglass with bamboo fiber in agro-stone panels to enhance cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and reduce weight. The panels are made using pumice and bagasse as fillers, magnesium oxide (MgO) and magnesium chloride (MgCl _2 ) as binders, and fiberglass and bamboo fiber as reinforcement. Bamboo fiber is a natural fiber used as reinforcement and was extracted by the mechano-chemical method using basic procedures. Specimens were prepared with varying bamboo fiber contents of 0%, 4%, 8%, and 12%. Tests were conducted at 7 and 28 days to determine the physical and mechanical strength of the specimens. The bulk and dry density of the agrostone were conducted, and the results show the density decreases as the percentage of fiber increases for all composites. The density of bamboo fiber is smaller than that of fiberglass and indicates the light weightiness of the product. The bulk and oven-dry density of all specimens were analyzed, yielding values between 1–1.3 g cm ^−3 , which decrease with increasing percentage of bamboo fiber, indicating a lightweight nature. Moisture content, water absorption of the fiber, water absorption of the specimens, and specific gravity of the specimens had a result of 6.38%, 9%, 18%–20%, and 0.76, respectively. The compressive and flexural strength reached their maximum value at 8% of fiber content replacement and decreased beyond this percentage due to increased water absorption of the bamboo fiber. As a conclusion, bamboo fiber offers a cost-effective alternative to fiberglass in the production of eco-friendly agro-stone panels for low-cost housing.https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/add652Bi-product utilizationbamboo fibereco-friendly materialfiberglassagro-stone panel
spellingShingle Bahiru Bewket Mitikie
Simachew Birile Chekele
Walied A Elsaigh
Bi-product utilization of eco-friendly agro-stone panels: bamboo fiber as a cost-effective fiberglass substitute in low-cost housing
Materials Research Express
Bi-product utilization
bamboo fiber
eco-friendly material
fiberglass
agro-stone panel
title Bi-product utilization of eco-friendly agro-stone panels: bamboo fiber as a cost-effective fiberglass substitute in low-cost housing
title_full Bi-product utilization of eco-friendly agro-stone panels: bamboo fiber as a cost-effective fiberglass substitute in low-cost housing
title_fullStr Bi-product utilization of eco-friendly agro-stone panels: bamboo fiber as a cost-effective fiberglass substitute in low-cost housing
title_full_unstemmed Bi-product utilization of eco-friendly agro-stone panels: bamboo fiber as a cost-effective fiberglass substitute in low-cost housing
title_short Bi-product utilization of eco-friendly agro-stone panels: bamboo fiber as a cost-effective fiberglass substitute in low-cost housing
title_sort bi product utilization of eco friendly agro stone panels bamboo fiber as a cost effective fiberglass substitute in low cost housing
topic Bi-product utilization
bamboo fiber
eco-friendly material
fiberglass
agro-stone panel
url https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/add652
work_keys_str_mv AT bahirubewketmitikie biproductutilizationofecofriendlyagrostonepanelsbamboofiberasacosteffectivefiberglasssubstituteinlowcosthousing
AT simachewbirilechekele biproductutilizationofecofriendlyagrostonepanelsbamboofiberasacosteffectivefiberglasssubstituteinlowcosthousing
AT waliedaelsaigh biproductutilizationofecofriendlyagrostonepanelsbamboofiberasacosteffectivefiberglasssubstituteinlowcosthousing