Manuel A.

Roxas High School

Paco, Manila
S.Y. 2017 – 2018

“Cement board reinforced with fibers

from Nymphaea Plant for Structural
Sheathing”

A Research Paper submitted to

Mr. Arjay Advincula

Villorente, Aiki N.
Realino, Bea Bianca S.
Tabuzo, Abbie Nerissa O.
Of 10- Newton

March 12, 2018

 Table of Contents

Abstract 1
Chapter I: Introduction 2

 Background of the study 2

 Statement of the problem 2
 Significance of the study 3
 Scope and Limitation 3
 Hypothesis 4
 Definition of Terms 4
Chapter II: Review of Related Literature 5
Chapter III: Methodology 6
Chapter IV: Result and Discussion 7
Chapter V: Conclusion 9
Chapter VI: Recommendation 9
Chapter VII: Bibliography 9
Chapter VIII: Acknowledgement 11
ABSTRACT:

Rapid reproduction of water lilies have been a hindrance to fishermen and other locales
who benefit in rivers and lakes. In the Philippines, the government hires men or barangay officials
to clean the affected rivers to be able to avoid the reproduction. A mat of water lilies can cause
water problems like floods and clogging of water ways. Yet, water lilies are considered a fibrous
plant where the whole plant is made out of fibers. The researchers will conduct a project where we
will be making a cement board reinforced with fibers of water lily plant. Our cement boards are
tested by its flexural and compressive strength and compare its physical properties in commercially
sold cement boards. There are 2 experimental sets; cement boards with the ratio of 60% fibers x
40% cement mixture and cement boards with the ratio of 75% fibers x 25% cement mixture. The
tests are done by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-Bicutan) reliably. Based on
the result, water lily fibers are possible to use as a reinforcing material in the production of cement
boards as based on the comparison between the commercially sold cement boards, the strength of
the water lily cement board (both sets) are greater.

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 Chapter I
INTRODUCTION
I. Background of the study

Water lilies are aquatic plants that grow in all types of fresh waters. It grows inches to three
feet tall. It is known as one of the worst weeds because of its rapid reproduction and broad
environmental tolerance that cause clogging of waterways, blocking of photosynthesis and
impossibility of water activities like fishing and boating. Water lily mats or a half kilometer full
of water lily plants can weigh up to 200 tons.

In the other side, water lilies are recognized as fibrous water plants because it purifies water
surface as it absorbs oil from rivers.

To be able to help lessen the negative effects of brought by water lilies, we, researchers, made
a reinforcement project which we used the fibers from a water lily plant (specifically its stem) as
a component of a cement board. Cement board is a combination of pure cement and wood fibers
where it can be nailed or screwed. It is commonly used as kitchen counters, exterior plaster,
sheathing, and an alternative plywood. The fibers from water lilies will greatly affect the water
resistance of the cement board because water lilies are ‘water-resistance’ and its fibers are actually
‘cellulose fibers’, a plant extract good for reinforcing.

We compared the physical properties of a commercially sold cement board to our water lily
cement board. Our product are tested by flexural strength and compression done at the Department
of Science and Technology (DOST-Bicutan).

II. Statement of the problem

Major Objective

 To produce a reinforced cement board for structural sheathing from fibers of water lilies.

Minor Objective

 To lessen the negative effects brought by water lilies using its fibers as a component in
making cement boards.

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  To measure the durability and hardness of cement boards made out of water lilies and
compare it to the commercially sold cement board.
 To control the excessive volume of water lilies in rivers and lakes.

III. Significance of the study

The importance of this project is to lessen the negative effects of water lily and make it useful
by making a cement board out of it. This project will benefit not only people living around the
river but also the locales who are greatly affected by flood and clogging of waterways. Also, some
water activities like fishing and boating will be possible again. It would also be a big help to people
who are in need of constructing materials for walling, kitchen counters, flooring and particularly
for structural sheathing.

IV. Scope and limitations

The product is made out of water lily (particularly its stem) as the source of fibers, cement and
wood adhesives (epoxy and hardener resin) as binder. The sources of the water lilies are rivers
near Manuel A. Roxas High School such as Beata River, Pandacan along Pasig River while the
rest of the materials are brought from local hardware stores. There will be 3 sets of samples; Set
A will be the base line of the comparison or the physical properties of a commercially sold cement
board, Set B of samples will have 40% cement mixture and 60% water lily fibers, and Set C of
samples will be 25% cement mixture and 75% water lily fibers. The physical strength test result
of Set A were gathered from related articles while Set B and C are be tested by its flexural and
compressive strength at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-Bicutan). Each set
contain 10 pieces of cement boards having the dimension of 15mm x 150mm x 4mm for flexural
strength and 2” x 2” x 2” for compression.

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 V. Hypothesis

NULL ALTERNATIVE CAUSE AND EFFECT

The amount of fibers don’t The amount of fibers have a When the amount of fibers
have a significant effect on the significant effect on the increases or decreases, then
hardness of the cement board. hardness of the cement board. there will be a significant
effect on the flexural and
compressive strength of the
cement board.

The flexural and compressive The flexural and compressive If the amount of cement is
strength of the cement board strength of the cement board lesser than the fibers, then
does not vary on the ratio of varies the ratio of cement, there will be a greater flexural
cement, water, and resin used. water, and resin used. and compressive strength.

VI. Definition of terms

 Cement board – combination of cement, reinforcing fibers and resins.

 Water lily – a plant that grows in water with round, floating leaves, and large
flowers.
 Adhesives – designed to stick to something.
 Flexural strength – the resistance of material to breaking under flexure.
 Sheathing – a protective covering
 Reinforced – strengthen or support (an object or substance), especially with
additional material.
 Compression strength – capacity of a material or structure to withstand loads
tending to reduce size.
 Fiber – a thread of filament from which a vegetable tissue, mineral substance,
or textile formed.
 Durability – staying strong and in good condition over a long period of time.
 Physical – existing in a form that you can touch or see.
 Masonry – work done using stone, brick, or concrete, word done by a mason

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 Chapter II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
 “Some of the physical testing of the cement boards are: compressive strength, impact
strength, hardness, water absorption, density, thermal conductivity and resistivity. “
DOI:10.0734/BJAST/2015/11627

 “Fibrous cement based materials belong to the main long-lasting building materials. Few
building material offer a combination of architectural scope and strong technical
specification as convincing as fibrous cement based materials e.g. cladding and roofing.
One of the most desirable qualities of fibrous cement based board is its durability due to
its ability to resist all kinds of weather conditions. Unlike wood siding, fiber-cement board
siding doesn’t rot or require frequent repainting.”
HTTP://DX.DOI.ORG/10.3846/ENVIRO.2014.024

 “Fiber cement composite products can be made use of in exterior and interior of a building
such as siding, roofing, cladding, internal lining, floors, walls, building boards, bricks,
bracing, fencing and decorative elements. Fiber-cement materials can offer a variety of
advantages over traditional construction materials; as compared to wood, fiber-cement
products offer improved dimensional stability, moisture resistance, decay resistance, and
fire resistance; as compared to masonry, fiber-cement products enable faster, lower cost,
lightweight construction; as compared to cement based materials without fibers, fiber-
cement products may offer improved toughness, ductility, and flexural capacity, as well as
crack resistance and “nail ability”.
HTTP://DX.DOI.ORG/10.3846/ENVIRO.2014.024

 “The potential use of natural fiber as bio-composites has been accepted globally, because
it is cheap, sustainable, and biodegradable and reduces carbon dioxide emissions. The use
of wood fiber has been increased rapidly as natural composites in cement based products
i.e. cement bonded board.”
DOI:10.1088/1757-899X/271/1/012076

 Fiber-Reinforced Cement (FRC) board is a widely-used building material developed by

James Hardie in the early 1980s, while working on the use of alternative materials to avoid
the continued use of asbestos for building products.
DOI:10.9734/CJAST/2017/36587

 The flexural strength of natural-fiber cement board in 80% higher than that of typical
building materials – with the exclusion of rice husk cement board. Many cement boards
have been used as building partitions for over a century.
DOI:10.9734/CJAST/2017/36587

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 Chapter III
METHODOLOGY
A. Preparation of the molder
There are 2 molders used to produce 2 sets of samples, the first molder has a dimension of
2"x2"x2" used for testing compression and the second molder has a dimensions of 150mm x 7mm
x 4mm used for testing flexural strength. To make the first molder (2”x2”x2”), cut a plywood; 5
pieces of 4”x2” and 2 pieces of 2”x2”. Using a wood adhesive to stick 4 pieces of 4”x2” to create
a square shape. Stick the remaining 4”x2” inside the square side by side, equally. After that, glue
the 2 pieces of 2”x2” on the other side to make a window-like molder. To make the second molder,
cut a plywood; 2 pieces of 15cm x 1cm, 2 pieces of 10 cm x 1 cm, 4 pieces of 15 cm x 0.5 cm and
a 15cm x 10cm. The 15cm x 10cm will be the base of the molder. Stick the 2 pieces of 15cm x
1cm and 2 pieces of 10 cm x 1 cm on the sides of the base. Using a pencil, mark a 0.5 cm x 15cm
after every 1.5cm. Insert and glue the remaining 4 pieces of 15 cm x 0.5 cm on the marked position.
10 pieces of samples are made from the first molder and the other 10 pieces are from the second
molder.

B. Preparation of the product

The water lilies are gathered from rivers around Manuel A. Roxas High School particularly,
Beata River in Pandacan, Manila. Wash the water lilies before cutting the water lilies into strips
(1"x1") so that it can be grinded later easily with a use of a blender. Using a strainer, separate the
excess water to the water lily strips. Put the water lilies to a pot and boil together with a pinch of
salt. When it boils, use a strainer again to get the water lily bits. Grind the water lilies. Remove
the excess water again and dry the water lilies under the sun for about 2 days so it will be
pulverized. After drying, mix the fibers with resin, cement, and a small amount of water to create
a mixture. Massage it so the cement and the adhesive used will spread equally. Put an onion skin
or a wax paper on the molder to be used so that the board will not stick to the molder. After putting
a wax paper, put the mixture into the molder and flatten. Use an oven in drying the cement boards.

C. Testing
There are data tables for comparison between the water lily cement board and the
commercially sold cement board which will show their flexural and compressive strength. The test
of the water lily cement board are to be done by the Department of Science and Technology while
the data results of an commercially sold cement boards are gathered from articles discussing about
its properties. For the water lily cement board, there will be 3 sets of samples: Set A will serve as
the base line data basis containing physical properties of a commercially sold cement board, Set B
will be 40%-cement, 60%-water lilies and Set C will be 25%-cement, 75%-water lilies. The test
result determine the durability and hardness of the cement board as a material for structural
sheathing for houses.

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 Chapter IV
RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Table 1. Compressive Strength and Densities

of Cement Board (panels’ test are processed
after 7 days)

Table 2. Bending
Properties/Flexural Strength
Cement Board (panels’ test
are processed after 7 days)

The results were taken from a related article from Journal of Engineering Science and
Technology Vol. 8, No. 4 (2013) 385 - 398, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering,
Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM,
Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. The panels were tested at the material age of 7 days in compression
(ASTM D1037) and flexural strength test (ASTM C1185). The highlighted part of the table is the
researchers’ basis in making their adapted research project. As a base line data for comparison, in
the other hand, the compressive strength of a commercially sold cement boards are; 1.09 MPa in
40:60 cement/fibers ratio while 1.01 MPa in 30:70 cement/fibers ratio, and the flexural strength
of a commercially sold cement boards are: 1.21 MPa in 40:60 cement/fibers ratio while 1.10 MPa
in 30:70 cement/fibers ratio.
Note: We, the researchers used the data for 30:70 cement/fibers ratio as the base line of our 25:75
cement/fibers ratio as their mixture measurement is almost same for us to complete the
comparison. The base line data also shows that the panels are tested after 7 days of the drying
process while our samples are dried within a week also. This condition does not have a significant
effect in comparing the water lily cement boards in commercially sold cement boards.

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 Table 3. Flexural Strength of
Water lily cement boards, SET
A (60%-water lily fibers, 40%-
cement mixture) and SET B
(75%-water lily fibers, 25%-
cement mixture) tested reliably
at the DOST

Legend:
b- Width of the Specimen *did not break/ rupture within the 5% gage strain limit
h- Thickness of Specimen Y- Yielding R- Rupture
M- Mean SD- Standard Deviation MPa- Mega Pascal

The mean flexural strength of the SET A which named as the PPT-2018-0139 is 1.50 MPa
with the standard deviation of 0.635 MPa. The mean flexural stress at 3.5% is 0.068 MPa with the
SD of 0.039 MPa while the mean flexural stress at 5% is 0.039 MPa with the SD of 0.031 MPa.
Both given flexural stress did not break within 5% gage strain limit. 4 out of 10 samples have yield
or did not crack completely. And 1.96 mm/min. is the rate of crosshead motion.
The mean flexural strength of the SET A which named as the PPT-2018-0140 is 1.16 MPa
with the standard deviation of 0.372 MPa. The mean flexural stress at 3.5% is 0.137 MPa with the
SD of 0.021 MPa while the mean flexural stress at 5% is 0.080 MPa with the SD of 0.035 MPa.
Both given flexural stress did not break within 5% gage strain limit. 6 out of 10 samples have also
yield or did not crack completely. And 1.89 mm/min. is the rate of crosshead motion.

Table 4. Compressive Strength of Water lily cement boards, SET A (60%-water lily fibers, 40%-
cement mixture) and SET B (75%-water lily fibers, 25%-cement mixture) tested reliably at the
DOST
The mean compressive strength of SET A which is the PPT-2018-0141 is 3.66 MPa with
the SD of 1.77 MPa while the SET B which is the PPT-2018-0142 has 3.60 MPa with the SD of
1.41 MPa.

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 Chapter V
CONCLUSION

Base on the given result of the mechanical properties of a commercially sold cement board;
for flexural strength, it only have 1.09 MPa and 1.01 MPa while the water lily cement boards have
1.50 MPa and 1.16 MPa while for the compressive strength it only have 1.21 MPa and 1.10 MPa
while the water lily cement boards have 3.66 MPa and 3.60 MPa.

The researchers concluded that water lily fibers are possible to use in reinforcing cement
boards because both flexural and compressive strength of the water lily cement boards are higher
than the commercially sold cement board. The amount of the fibers in making cement board also
varies the durability or strength of the cement board because in the result shown from Table 1 –
Table 4, the lower the fiber content, the lower MPa. In other words, the durability of the cement
boards depends on the ratio between the cement mixture and the fibers.

Chapter VI
RECOMMENDATION
The following recommendations are offered as possible ways to improve this study.

 If possible, conduct other tests (except tensile, flexural, and compressive strength) in
order to fill the mechanical properties of a water lily cement board.
 Add another conditions specifically if drying process, fibers’ grams, or adhesive/resin
used varies the durability of the cement board.
 Check if it’s possible to build water lily cement board business that could help people on
their employment.
 Besides water lilies, find other fibrous plant and make a comparative study.

Chapter VII
BIBLIOGRAPHY

 MST. SADIA MAHZABIN, R. HAMID, W.H.W. BADARUZZAMAN (2013).

EVALUATION OF CHEMICALS INCORPORATED WOOD FIBRE CEMENT
MATRIX PROPERTIES. Journal of Engineering Science and Technology. Vol. 8, No. 4
pg. 385 – 398

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 Sérgio Augusto Mello Da Silva1, André Luis Christoforo2, Raquel Gonçalves3, Francisco
Antonio Rocco Lahr (2013) Strength Properties of Medium Density Fiberboards (MDF)
Manufactured with Pinus Elliottii Wood and Polyurethane Resin Derived from Castor Oil.
International Journal of Composite Materials, 3(1): 7-14. DOI:
10.5923/j.cmaterials.20130301.02
 Noura Balboul Shawia1, Mohammad Ali Jabber and Abbas Fadhil Mamouri. (2014)
Mechanical and physical properties of natural fiber cement board for building partitions.
1Department of Physics, College of Science, Waist University, Iraq. Physical Sciences
Research International. Vol. 2(3), pp. 49-53
 Divino Eterno Teixeira (2012) Recycled Old Corrugated Container Fibers forWood-Fiber
Cement Sheets. International Scholarly Research Network, ISRN Forestry. Volume 2012,
Article ID 923413, doi:10.5402/2012/923413
 Oluwatomilola P. Akinyemi and Cordelia O. Osasona. (2017). Strength Properties of
Bamboo-Fibre Cement Boards Used as Building Partitions. Department of Civil
Engineering, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. 23(5): 1-7; Article no.CJAST.36587
Previously known as British Journal of Applied Science & Technology ISSN: 2231-0843,
NLM ID: 101664541
 Al-Menaie, Habibah. (2011). Performance evaluation of water lily varieties (Nymphaea
sp) for landscape beautification in Kuwait. American Journal of Scientific and Industrial
Research. 2. 122-128. 10.5251/ajsir.2011.2.1.122.128.
 Mahamadi, Courtie. (2011). Water hyacinth as a biosorbent: A review. African Journal of
Environmental Science and Technology. 5. 1137-1145. 10.5897/AJESTX11.007.

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 Chapter VIII
ACKNOLEDGEMENT
We would like to thank the following in helping us to complete this study.
 Mr. Arjay I. Advincula, our research teacher, for introducing this subject to us and also
for guiding us in conducting this research.
 The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for having our samples tested
reliably, for the reimbursement, and for the advices and validations acquired from our
study.
 MARHS Science Department
 Mrs. Ma. Elena G. Serquiña, our principal, for signing and approving our letter for us to
be excused for class when it’s ‘DOST-time’.
 10- Newton SY 2017-2018, our classmates, for believing in ourselves, for unity and
staying positive in whatever the resulting of our tests is.
 Our parents, for letting us meet every Saturday in conducting this study, for joining us to
go to DOST-Bicutan, for giving us money for our fund, for their patience and for their
love and support for us.
 And most of all, God for being safe every day. For the ideas, for guiding us not to argue
over nonsense things and for all.

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