Study of new reinforcing materials for cementitious panel production

Abstract

The development of building materials using new types of raw materials is currently on demand by society and the industry. It is intended to reduce production costs, improve properties and obtain ever-increasingly sustainable processes and products. In this respect, this work aimed to evaluate the effect of new types of reinforcement material on the physical-mechanical and thermal properties of cement-based panels. Cement-based panels reinforced with pine wood, coffee husk waste, rice husk and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were evaluated. The panels were produced with 1.30 g.cm−3nominal density; 1:2.5 reinforcement material: cement ratio; 1:1.5 water:cement ratio; 0.25 cement hydration rate using Portland ARI V cement and 3% calcium chloride (CaCl2) as additive. The panels’ physical, mechanical and thermal properties were evaluated before and after accelerated aging. PET bottle wastes showed great potential for use in cement-based panel production, obtaining the best physical and mechanical results, and showing superior performance to pine wood panels. Cement-based panels reinforced with coffee husk and rice husk waste obtained lower physical-mechanical performance, presenting usage limitations, however, with the lowest values of thermal conductivity.