Experimental Study on the Mechanical Properties of Straw Fiber–Reinforced Adobe Masonry
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32, Issue 11
Abstract
Adobe has been used as an economic building material since ancient times and continues to be used today, particularly in developing countries. Due to its sustainability credentials, interest in adobe as an alternative to traditional fired masonry has gathered pace. In order to develop guidance on the design of new adobe structures and the strengthening of existing ones, a detailed understanding of the material’s properties is required. Currently available studies on adobe material often concentrate on one particular property. Due to the differences in adobe makeup, correlation of the existing results can be problematic. To address this, a detailed experimental study using one consistent, reproducible and realistic adobe mix is presented here. The material behavior in compression (including strength gain with time), tension, and shear is studied. For the first time, the interface between the adobe units and mud mortar is investigated in direct tension and in shear, including the effects of coexisting compression. Crucially, parameters such as tensile and shear fracture energy, often excluded from existing experimental work, are evaluated. The data provided herein will enable development of accurate numerical and analytical models to describe adobe masonry structural behavior.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request. The available items are data series in Excel format for Figs. 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the Research Impact Scholarship (RIS) at the University of Manchester and the contribution of the University’s Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering (MACE) in funding this research. Special thanks are due to Mr. Paul Nedwell for assistance with material sourcing and testing.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32 • Issue 11 • November 2020
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 25, 2019
Accepted: Apr 15, 2020
Published online: Aug 19, 2020
Published in print: Nov 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Jan 19, 2021
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