Strength and experimental investigation of fiber reinforced mudbrick material

The aim of this study is to increase the use of adobe in the construction industry. For this reason, various materials such as clay soil, water, lime, gypsum, pumice powder, starch, molasses, microfiber, carbon fiber, aggregate, hydraulic lime, and ceramic wool were used to increase the durability of adobe elements. In the experimental studies, the interaction of different mixtures with clay soil and their effects on mechanical strength were investigated. In the experiments, the strength of the mixture increased due to the strong adhesion between clay soil and gypsum. The effects of water on strength were observed by varying the water content, and it was determined that an increase in water content reduced strength. When hydraulic lime was used instead of gypsum and lime, it was observed that the soil separated due to the incompatibility between hydraulic lime and clay soil, resulting in reduced strength. It was found that the addition of fly ash and aggregate increased the strength of the mixture. Sample sizes were increased, and waste products were added; the positive effects of these waste additives were also observed. Additionally, strength differences caused by shape factors were recorded. When the density of waste products was increased, the highest compressive strength was achieved in the carbon fiber-reinforced mixture. Finally, beam samples of 10×10×50 cm dimensions were prepared using the carbon fiber and microfiber-reinforced mixtures that exhibited the highest strength, and bending strength tests were conducted. The results showed that, despite its low density, the microfiber-reinforced mixture provided higher bending strength than the carbon fiber mixture.