Abstract

The research studies included in this review focus on the use

of nonwood plant fibers for building materials and panels.
Studies address (1) methods for efficiently producing
building materials and panels from nonwood plant fibers;
(2) treatment of fibers prior to board production; (3) process
variables, such as press time and temperature, press pressure,
and type of equipment; (4) mechanical and physical properties
of products made from nonwood plant materials;
(5) methods used to store nonwood plant materials; (6) use
of nonwood plant fibers as stiffening agents in cementitious
materials and as refractory fillers; and (7) cost-effectiveness
of using nonwood plant materials.
Keywords: Nonwood plant fiber, panel, building material

Scope of Previous Research

The bibliography includes studies on many different kinds of
nonwood plant materials (Table 2). Over 30 percent of the
studies address the use of bagasse and rice as raw materials
in building elements. Other materials widely studied include
bamboo (10 percent of studies), coconut and coir (7 percent),
flax (6 percent), and straw (6 percent).
Virtually all studies failed to examine the durability of the
product. Of the few studies that did investigate durability,
most focused on cement and concrete roofing panels and
sheets. This literature review indicates that additional
research is needed to obtain information on long-term
durability and the influence of weathering on the performance
of materials. Moreover, research in the future needs to
focus on comparing the product against product standards,
such as American Standard for Testing and Materials
(ASTM), German Standard Institute (DIN), International
Standard Organization (ISO), American National Standards
(ANSI), and the U.S. Department of Commerce standards.

Historical Perspective
173. Simunic, B. 1975. Process for production of high quality
cement-bound wood-chip or similar boards, especially
wall panels made of wood, bagasse or other woodlike
raw materials. Patent, P.N.: GB 1414310, I.D.: 751119.
Summary: A process is provided for making board from
cement-bound particles of wood or bagasse, or the like. The
particles are mixed with water and cement. This mixture is
molded, pressed, and dried to form a finished board. A
copolymer is incorporated in the board either by adding an
aqueous dispersion of the copolymer to the chip/cement
mixture before molding, or by treating the molded board
before pressing. The preferred copolymer is a copolymer of
5 to 40 percent vinyl chloride, 40 to 80 percent vinyl
carboxylic acid ester, and 5 to 25 percent ethylene.

175. Thole, V.; Weiss, D. 1992. Suitability of annual plants as additives for gypsum-
bounded particleboards. Holz als Roh- und Werkstoff. 50(6): 241-252. [German].

Summary: The semidry process for the manufacture of gypsum-bonded particleboards was
suggested by Kossatz. This process offers the possibility of using annual plants (such as
bagasse, bamboo, cotton stalks, rice straw, and wheat straw) as additives. The use of these
annual plants was investigated. Besides phase analytical investigations regarding the
characterization of the binders, the efficacy of various retardants, as well as the influence of
different plants on the hydration, were determined. Test boards of varying formulas and
densities were manufactured from annual plants in order to evaluate their suitability. The
considerably retarded hydration of the gypsum plaster induced by different extracellular
substances does not necessarily lead to boards with low strength properties; nor does
moderate impairment lead to boards with high strength properties. As far as board
strength is concerned, equal importance has to be attached to the surface condition of the
particles, their spraying behavior and pore structure, the fineness ratio of the particles, and
the portion of plant parts that cannot be reduced to particle shaped structures.

212. Guimaraes, S.S. 1990. Vegetable fiber-cement composites.

In: Vegetable plants and their fibres as building
materials. Proceedings of the 2d international symposium
sponsored by the International Union of Testing and Research
Laboratories for Materials and Structures (RILEM);
1990 September 17-21; Salvador, Bahia, Brazil: 98-107.

Summary: A study covering the physical and mechanical

properties of fibers from bagasse, bamboo, coir, and sisal is
presented in relation to their use in cement composites. The
influence of fiber length, fiber volume fraction, matrix
proportioning, and casting processes for roof tiles, flumes,
kitchen sinks, and water tanks is also covered in detail.
Partial results from durability tests are presented.
Foseco Trading Ag. Patent, P.N.: DE 2948162, I.D.: 810604.
[German].

177. Valdes, J.L.; Puig, J.; Torres, A.; Rodriguez, M.E.;

Prado, R. 1989. Bagasse-gypsum boards. Preliminary study of the process. Instituto Cubano
de Investigaciones de los Derivados de la Cana de Azucar (Rev. ICIDCA). 22(3):
3842. [Spanish; English summary].

Summary: Tests demonstrating the feasibility of sugarcane bagasse as the fibrous component
of gypsum-bonded particleboards are reported. Depithed bagasse was used, either fresh,
stored wet for more than 1 year, or predried and stored in bales for less than 1 year. Aqueous
bagasse extracts were found to have little effect on setting time. The effects were tested of
bagasse: plaster: water ratios on density, thickness, and bending strength of the boards
produced. High fiber ratio (1 part bagasse to 2 rather than 5 of plaster) increased the strength
but also greatly increased the shrinkage upon setting; a ratio 1: 3.5 is preferred.
178. Valdes, J.L.; Puig, J.; Torres, A.; Rodriguez, M.E.;
Prado, R. 1989. Bagasse-gypsum particle boards: preliminary study of process parameters.
Instituto Cubano de Investigaciones de los Derivados de la Cana de Azucar (Rev.
ICIDCA). 23(3): 38-42. [Spanish; English summary].

Summary: This study examined the effects of the moisture content of bagasse on the setting
time and bending strength of particleboards made from bagasse and gypsum. Three types of
depithed bagasse were used: fresh, dry-stored for less than 1 year, and wet-stored for more
than 1 year. Only fresh bagasse caused any appreciable delay in setting time,
and the best mechanical properties, including bending strength, were obtained in boards with
high fiber content. (Also see references 149 and 160.)
212. Guimaraes, S.S. 1990. Vegetable fiber-cement composites.
In: Vegetable plants and their fibres as building
materials. Proceedings of the 2d international symposium
sponsored by the International Union of Testing and Research
Laboratories for Materials and Structures (RILEM);
1990 September 17-21; Salvador, Bahia, Brazil: 98-107.

Summary: A study covering the physical and mechanical

properties of fibers from bagasse, bamboo, coir, and sisal is
presented in relation to their use in cement composites. The
influence of fiber length, fiber volume fraction, matrix
proportioning, and casting processes for roof tiles, flumes,
kitchen sinks, and water tanks is also covered in detail.
Partial results from durability tests are presented.

274. Bose, T.N. 1950. Use of bamboo as reinforcement in

Portland cement concrete. Journal of the Association of
Engineers (India). 26(2): 52-62.

Summary: Various types of satisfactory bamboo building

boards were produced by substituting imported phenol with
cashew nut shell liquid that yields a water-resistant adhesive
when condensed with formalin in the presence of xylene and
small amounts of aqueous NaOH. The physical properties of
the boards obtained are tabulated.

275. Chen, T.Y.; Shueh, S.H. 1985. Studies on cement bonded bamboo particleboard and
bamboo bars for reinforcing concrete. Forest Products Industries. 4(2): 2-16. [Chinese;
German, and English summaries]. Summary: Particleboards were made from moso bamboo
(Phyllostachis edulis) shavings and Portland cement to a density of 1 g/cm3. The effects of
water:cement ratio and mortar content on bending and compression strengths were
investigated. The effects of mixing China fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) with the bamboo
were also studied. The mixing of the China fir with the bamboo increased the compressive
strength but decreased the bending strength of the boards. Thermal conductivity of the
particleboards was improved reducing the moisture content. Bamboo, concrete, and steel
bars were compared with regard to their coefficient of linear expansion, modulus of
elasticity, and yield and tensile strengths.

392. Acevedo, S.; Alvarez, M.; Navia, E.; Muñoz, R. 1990.

Fibre-concrete roofing tiles in Chile. In: Vegetable plants
and their fibres as building materials: Proceedings of the 2d
international symposium sponsored by the International
Union of Testing and Research Laboratories for Materials
and Structures (RILEM); 1990 September 17-21; Salvador,
Bahia, Brazil: 199-203.
Summary: The process for converting fibrous agricultural
residues, such as barley and wheat fiber, into natural fiber
concrete roofing tile is explained. A manually powered
vibrating table was designed and constructed to produce a
uniform mix. The study covered the fiber materials and their
characteristics, production technology, properties of natural
fiber concrete roofing tiles, and production methods and
costs.

397. Beshay, A.D. 1991. Cellulose fiber-reinforced cement

and gypsum composites. Patent, P.N.: US 5021093,
I.D.: 910604.
Summary: Composites consist of cement or gypsum,
cellulose fibers, and water (optional). Cellulose fibers are
pregrafted with a silylating agent such as γ -aminopropyltriethoxysilane.
Optionally, the cellulose fibers are treated
with a CaCl2 solution, before or after the grafting process.
Composites contained an additional inorganic filler.

402. Aggarwal, L.K. 1991. Development of coir fiber reinforced composite panels.
Research and Industry. 36(4): 213-274.

Summary: This paper describes a process for production of coir fiber reinforced cement
panels. These newly developed composite panels have bending strengths of 9 to 11 MPa and
modulus of elasticity of 2,500 to 2,800 MPa, and show thickness swelling of less than 1.2
percent and water absorption of 14 to 16 percent when tested with standard procedures. The
panels show better dimensional stability and behavior towards fire when compared with
traditional materials such as plywood, wood particleboard, and wood fiberboard and can be
used as an alternative to these materials.

436. Mattone, R. 1990. Comparison between gypsum panels reinforced with vegetable
fibres: their behaviour in bending and under impact. In: Vegetable plants and their fibres as
building materials: Proceedings of the 2d international symposium sponsored by the
International Union of Testing and Research Laboratories for Materials and Structures
(RILEM); 1990 September 17-21; Salvador, Bahia, Brazil:161-172.

Summary: The behavior of thin panels of gypsum reinforced with either coconut or sisal
fibers was investigated. Test pieces were produced through a vacuum process to reduce
the water: gypsum ratio, increase the compaction, and improve the bond between fibers and
the matrix so as to obtain a high-performance composite. Bending tests were performed on
test pieces measuring 30 cm by 40 cm, and impact tests were performed on panels sized 80
cm by 80 cm. The behavior of the reinforced panels was compared with that of panels
traditionally utilized resulted in a high-density strong composite. The increase in the quality
of the inner portion of specimen was higher than that of the outer portion. The treated
specimens from the inner portion had higher plastic content than those from the outer portion
due to the porosity of the inner portion.

The Use of Natural Fibers in Cement: Some structural Considerations

Paper on Composite structure
By Swift D. G. (1981)

Testing of Fibers Degradation

To test for terminate attach, a cracked mortar specimen containing sisal fibers were placed in
proximity of a termite’s nest. Sisal fibers on their own were placed, as a control, in virtually
identical conditions.

Results: The control was rapidly attached and removed by the termites, but the sisal in the
mortar, even when visible in cracks, was not attached.

Fungal decay was investigated using BS 1982:1968 extended to a period of 6 months, using
10 mm thick containing equal parts of cement equal parts of cement and sand and 3% of
sisal of length 25 mm and 6% aligned along the specimen.