Produção e caracterização de compósitos cimentícios reforçados com fibras de bambu (Bambusa vulgaris)

Abstract

Civil construction constantly needs technological innovations in order to reduce environmental impacts and improve the energy efficiency of construction processes, always aiming at the economy and, more recently, sustainability. In this context, bamboo fibers are inserted in the production of composites, since they have good results in mechanical properties such as tensile strength, being compared to steel, but lighter, among other advantages such as fast cultivation and large availability, important factors for sustainable development. The aim of this study is to develop and characterize bamboo fiber reinforced cementitious composites of Bambusa vulgaris species, easily found in the North and Northeast regions of the country. In order to avoid fiber degradation inside the mortar, treatments were performed on matrix, replacing 50% of the mass cement with pozzolan metacaulim, which reduces the formation of Ca(OH)2, a substance harmful to the fibers; also the chemical process of mercerization were performed in the fibers themselves, which was efficient in the concentration of 10% of NaOH. Bambusa vulgaris presented a specific mass of 1.4 g / cm³ and tensile strength of 388 MPa, which are excellent reinforcement properties. Long and short fiber bamboo cementitious boards were produced, the last ones are the ones that best improved their mechanical characteristics with a 42% increase in flexural strength with 2% reinforcement, while the 6% reinforcement provided an increase of 344% in toughness. Long fiber composites obtained the lowest densities, with a reduction of 12%.