RESEARCH ARTICLE | SEPTEMBER 29 2017

The use of bamboo fiber in reinforced concrete beam to

reduce crack
Sri Murni Dewi; Ming Narto Wijaya; Christin Remayanti N.

AIP Conference Proceedings 1887, 020003 (2017)

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5003486

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 The Use of Bamboo Fiber in Reinforced Concrete Beam to
Reduce Crack
Sri Murni Dewi1, a), Ming Narto Wijaya1, b) and Christin Remayanti N1, c)
1
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia
a)

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Corresponding author: srimurnid@ub.ac.id
b)
mingnw@ub.ac.id
c)
may_christin@ub.ac.id

Abstract. This study presents the evaluation of the use of bamboo fiber to improve the performance of bamboo reinforced
concrete at the tension crack area. To achieve this objective, a series of tests were conducted. The size object of concrete
beam is 15 cm x 20 cm x 160 cm with reinforcement of bamboo and pumice stone aggregate. Bamboo reinforcement was
coated with sand to become rough of the surface. The type of bamboo obtained from skewer producers in the Cemoro
Kandang Malang is called Ori bamboo. The fiber were used vary in length. The fiber coated with paint and covered with
sand to prevent the hygroscopic properties and increased the weight to prevent the float of bamboo fibers when mixed in
the concrete mixer. The results were showed that bamboo fiber can reduce crack-width and deflection of concrete and
increase beam post-cracking load-carrying capacity. The amount of fiber has effect on workability and quality of concrete.
However, bamboo fiber can prevent the growth and propagation of cracks.

INTRODUCTION
The low tensile strength of the concrete material is the basic concept of reinforced concrete. In the concept of
reinforced concrete, tensile stress reinforced to the steel as reinforcement. When the tensile strain reached the
maximum concrete strain, the area will be in a state of tension cracks. This causes water vapor and aggressive materials
enter and cause of corrosion of the reinforcement. It can damage the concrete. The addition of fiber in the tensile area
is conducted. The fibers can transfer the load to the internal micro cracks. Durability of the concrete is improved to
reduce in the crack width [1]. The reinforcement, fiber and concrete matrix are combined to resist external loads before
concrete cracking occurs. After concrete cracks, the ¿EHUVPL[HGLQWKH concrete have a VLJQL¿FDQWHIIHFWRQLPSHGLQJ
the growth of tensile cracks in concrete.

In general, carbon fiber or Kevlar fibers derived from mineral rocks was used frequently [2]. Natural fibers from
plants such as hemp and bamboo fibers have not been used because less of rigid and strength. The advantages of
natural plants fibers can be evaluated from the ecological aspect, because this fiber is a waste fiber and inexpensive
material.

This research aimed to evaluate the use of bamboo fiber to improve the performance of bamboo reinforced concrete
at the tension crack area. It was conducted with the object beam size of 15 cm x 20 cm x 160 cm of concrete with
reinforcement of bamboo and pumice stone aggregate The type of bamboo obtained from skewer producers in the
Cemoro Kandang Malang is called Ori bamboo. The fiber were used vary in length. The fiber coated with paint and
covered with sand to prevent the hygroscopic properties and increased the weight to prevent the float of bamboo fibers
when mixed in the concrete mixer. The results were showed that bamboo fiber can reduce the crack-width of concrete
and increase beam post-cracking load-carrying capacity. Besides, the amount of fiber has effect of workability and
quality of concrete. However, bamboo fiber can prevent the growth and propagation of cracks.

Green Construction and Engineering Education for Sustainable Future

AIP Conf. Proc. 1887, 020003-1–020003-8; doi: 10.1063/1.5003486
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1570-6/$30.00

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 NATURAL FIBER
Commonly, some types of fiber are used as a reinforced material. It can be divided into synthetic fibers such as
nylon, plastic, and natural fiber is derived from minerals, animals and plants. Mineral fibers of metal or rock are carbon
fiber, glass fiber, Kevlar fiber and asbestos fiber. Fiber derived from animals is silk, wool or fleece. Some fiber is a
natural fiber from plants such as ramin, palm fiber, coconut fiber and bamboo fiber [3].

In terms of strength, synthetic fiber is better than natural fiber. Plants fibers have advantages than synthetic fibers
in terms of environmental aspects [4]. The primary advantages of natural fibers over synthetic fibers have been their
low cost.

In Tab 1 shows a comparison of the mechanical properties of plant fibers and mineral fibers. It can be seen that
bamboo fiber is lighter than glass or carbon fiber, but it has low tensile strength. The tensile strength bamboo fiber is
more than the tensile strength of concrete at 5 – 10 MPa..
TABLE 1. Comparisson of the mechanical properties of fibers.[5][6]

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Fibers Density (gr/cm3) Tensile Strength (MPa) Elastic Modulus (MPa)
Carbon 1.8 3500 200
Glass 2.5 2500 70
Sisal 1.5 600 10
Kenaf 1.5 900 50
Catton 1.5 400 10
Bamboo 1.5 700 10

BAMBOO WASTE FIBERS

Bamboo grows in the tropical and subtropical area. Due to the cheaper cost, bamboo houses can be built for people
in the world. Because of the successful construction of bamboo houses, companies and researchers has observed for
using bamboo as structural element of construction, such as bamboo reinforced concrete [7]. Bamboo plants has the
potential to develop of innovation in construction. Several studies have been carried out on the use of raw bamboo as
reinforcing material to replace conventional steel. Usually, bamboo was used for construction and home furnishings.
Bamboo pieces were used for toothpicks, skewers, and the wicker. This furniture manufacturing process produces
waste in the form of bamboo fiber. Therefore, bamboo fiber will be observed for repairing cracks in concrete.

FIGURE 1. Bamboo Fiber [14]

Chemical components of bamboo fiber has same chemical components of wood which consists of cellulose,
hemicellulose, lignin and water. Cellulose [(C 6 H 10 O 5 }n] is a polysaccharide consists of glucose monosacharid. This
glucose strong binding hydrogen in stabile crystalline form [2].

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 FIGURE 2. Cellulose Molecules [8]

Cellulose aggregates which form tiny fiber together into a matrix of coarse fiber. Another component is
hemicellulose similar to cellulose but contains other types of monosaccharide and different bonding. This

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hemicellulose has non-uniform structure and a weak strength. Lignin is a complex natural polymer and a tentacle
carbon from the air. Lignin is not easily destroyed and became a buffer cell wall. Lignin accounted compressive
strength on bamboo. .Cellulose is the main fiber to the natural fiber that absorbs a lot of water. To reduce the absorption
of water, the hydrophilic element and flour should be reduced by rinsing of NaOH, KMnO 4 , and H 2 O 2 .

FIBER CONCRETE
The problems of reinforced concrete beam are occurred on the crack of tensile reinforcement area. The large
elongation of tensile steel will produce cracks on the concrete. The cracks causes water vapor and aggressive materials
enter and spur rust on reinforcement. The cracks width should reduce by enter some fiber in the concrete. The fibers
help to transfer load to the internal micro cracks. The addition of fiber also purpose to increase confine strength in
compression. The limitation of crack width purpose keeping compactness of concrete in such away it became the
compression state if the opposite moment due to seismic force occurred. Fiber addition improves ductility of concrete
and its post-cracking load-carrying capacity [9] [10].

Fibers are known to significantly affect the free shrinkage and other early-age properties of cement based
composite. Fiber-reinforced concrete is generally made with a high cement content and low water/cement ratio. The
efficiency of all fiber reinforcement is dependent upon achievement of a uniform distribution of the fibers in the
concrete [11] [12]. Steel fiber requires great amount of energy to produce and is expensive. In many developing
countries, due to their limited resources, steel is not affordable [13].. However, bamboo is less expensive and more
viable to maintain. In the case of cellulose fibers, both coated and uncoated fibers are effective only at dosages above
0.3% by volume.

As shown in Fig. 3, bamboo fibers were mixed in concrete. By using digital microscope, it can be seen the fiber
structure in concrete.

FIGURE 3. Fiber in Concrete [14]

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 EXPERIMENTAL WORKS
The bamboo reinforced concrete beams with 15cm x 20cm x 160cm was used in this study. The fiber content is
used as variation for each specimen. The variations of fiber content are 40 gr/volumes and 150 gr/volumes. The
reinforcement ratio for the test specimens are created equal 1%, and the aggregate composition is 1 cement; 2.5 sand;
2.5 aggregate.

The control test objects made without the addition of fiber, with the composition of cement: sand: aggregate are
1: 2.5: 2.5 and 1% bamboo reinforcement ratio.

Bamboo fibers where used in this study is bamboo ori derived from skewer in the Cemoro Kandang area Malang.
Fiber used has a variable in length. The fiber were washed with NaOH, paint coated concrete and covered with sand
to prevent the hygroscopic properties and keep the bamboo fiber do not float when mixed in the concrete. The length
of fibers may vary from 1 to 2 in.(25 to 500 mm). Because natural fibers are naturally available materials, they are not

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uniform in diameter and length. The diameter is varied from 0.004 to 0.03 in.

The slump test and compression test performed for both composition of fiber content. The beam loaded in four
point load use a spreader beam as shown in Fig. 4

Spreader beam

LVDT

500 mm 500 mm 500 mm

FIGURE 4. Loading Model

FIGURE 5. The Arrangement of Bamboo Reinforcement (units: mm) [14]

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 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The result of slump test and compression test presented in Tab 2 and Tab 3.

TABLE 2. Slump Test Results.[14]

Fibers Content Slump Test (mm)
Sample-1 (A1-1) 100
Sample-2 (A1-2) 103
40 gr
Sample-3 (A1-2) 95
Average 99
Sample-1 (A2-1) 78
Sample-2 (A2-2) 70
150 gr

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Sample-3 (A2-2) 78
Average 78

TABLE 3. Compression Test Results.[14]

Fibers Content f’c (MPa)
Sample-1 17.2
Sample-2 18.6
Sample-3 19.9
40 gr Sample-4 18.8
Sample-5 18.1
Sample-6 17.0
Average 18.2
Sample-1 21.8
Sample-2 22.2
Sample-3 20.8
150 gr Sample-4 19.9
Sample-5 19.8
Sample-6 19.9
Average 20.7

As shown in Table 2 and Table 3, the fiber reduces slump or workability but increase the compressive strength, it
is agree with addition of steel fiber in previous research [1][2].The beam test results are displayed in the load-deflection
curve as shown in the Fig. 6 and Fig.7. Shown in Fig.6, the behavior of bamboo reinforcement concrete with 40gr of
fiber is evaluated by using three specimens. It shows maximum load carrying capacity is about 24 kN with 17.7mm
of the displacement. In the other hand, the load and displacement results of 150gr/volume bamboo fiber can be seen
in Fig.7. The maximum load and displacement are 21 kN and 27.1mm. The increasing of maximum load capacity is
40gr/volume when compared with 150gr/volumee of fiber. Therefore the optimum content of fiber can be stated in
40gr/volume whereas the additional of 150gr/volume of fiber can be decreased of load capacity. The decreasing is
caused of reducing workability when fiber content increase.

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FIGURE 6. The relationship of load deflection with 40 gr of fiber content [14]

FIGURE 7. The relationship of load deflection with 150 gr of fiber content [14]

FIGURE 8. The relationship of load deflection with fiber contents variation [14].

When compared with the control specimens without fiber or normal concrete, the load deflection curve of the beam
can be seen in Fig. 8. The figure show the increase of first cracks load due to fiber addition.The figure show 40 gr

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fiber content has the highest load capacity than 150 gr fiber content and normal concrete. Also, the increasing of fiber
content slightly reduces the carrying capacity of the beam.

Fig.9 to Fig.11 shown depicts the crack behavior of the beam. For beam without fiber,the interfacial-crack in bond
strength starts rapidly through interfacial debonding, which develops forward until covering whole embedment length
of the reinforcement in the concrete.For beam with fiber, the cracks growth slowly and branched.

FIGURE 9. Crack behavior of beam without fiber [14]

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FIGURE 10. Crack behavior of beam with 40 gr of fiber [14].

FIGURE 11. Crack behavior of beam with 150 gr of fiber [14].

Beam without fiber or normal concrete start cracking at lower loads, and the cracks continue towards compression
region. However, beam with fiber start cracking in higher loads because of higher tensile strength due to fiber addition.
Crack width of fiber concrete is smaller than normal concrete. The beam defletion and cracks width summarizes in
Table 4
TABLE 4. Beam Test Results.[14]
Cracks width Deflection at maximum
Fibers Content
max (mm) load (mm)
Sample-1 (A1-1) 5 16
Sample-2 (A1-2) 4 11
40 gr
Sample-3 (A1-2) 5 17
Average 4,67 15
Sample-1 (A2-1) 6 20
150 gr Sample-2 (A2-2) 3 9
Sample-3 (A2-2) 7 26
Average 5,33 18
Without fiber 11 20

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 The length and branched of craks indicate the amount of energy absorption. The energy absorption capacity, which
is the OHYHORIÀH[XUDO performance after concrete cracking occurs, is an important factor that can be used to assess
WKHHIIHFWRIWKH¿EHU RQWKHÀH[XUDOSHUIRUPDQFHRIWKH¿EHU-reinforced concrete beam [1][15].

CONCLUSION
This research is carried out to investigate the addition of bamboo fiber in reinforced concrete beam. To observe
the performance, the experimental test was conducted. According to the experimental results, it is found that the
additional of fibers reduce cracks width of concrete and its post-cracking load-carrying capacity. However, the
increasing of fiber can be reduced slump or workability and quality of concrete. In this study, 40 gr is the optimum of
fiber content can be used as concrete mixed. Fibber addition can increase the first crack load capacity and reduce the
cracks width of the reinforced concrete beam, The addition of fibers can resist and reduce the growth and propagation
of cracks effectively.

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