Incorporation of natural coconut fibers in concrete for sustainable construction: Mechanical and durability behavior

The growing interest in sustainable alternatives to traditional steel fiber reinforcement has led to increased exploration of plant fibers for concrete applications due to their low carbon footprint and renewability. This study investigates coconut coir fibers (CF) as a single reinforcement material in concrete, alongside synthetic polypropylene fibers (SF) and a hybrid combination (SF50CF50) for comparative analysis. The mechanical properties evaluated include compressive and flexural strength, while durability aspects focused on water absorption, porosity, chloride penetration, and drying shrinkage. Results showed that SF exhibited the highest compressive strength, whereas CF underperformed at all curing ages. However, all fiber-reinforced concretes (FRC) demonstrated improved flexural strength compared to plain concrete. In terms of durability, both water absorption and porosity decreased with fiber incorporation, indicating reduced void content. However, CF exhibited better resistance to chloride penetration than SF and hybrid FRC.