Investigation on the Effect of Coconut Shell and Polypropylene Fibers on Engineering Properties of Concrete

Concrete is a very important building material in the construction industry, because of its good mechanical properties, durability and its economical use. But there are some limitations in its strength properties. The tensile strength of concrete is much lower than its compressive strength which is responsible for the development of cracks that can easily propagate and significantly reduce its durability and serviceability, this is a limitation for its applications in several important constructions. However, the addition of several types of fibres in the concrete mix produces Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC) which increases its crack-resisting properties in hardened concrete and improvement in some properties of the concrete mix. The demand for concrete is increasing globally for infrastructure development. Since, coarse aggregate is a component in the production of concrete, its demand and usage are also increasing. Natural coarse aggregate which is used in the production of concrete is a non-renewable limited resource and much research is going on for a material suitable for the replacement of coarse aggregate. Coconut shell is a waste material that is produced in large quantitie