5th GEGEU International Research Seminar 2017

Universiti Putra Malaysia

Selangor, Malaysia
October 30, 2018

THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF COIR FIBER TREATED WITH CHEMICALS

Fatin Amirah Kamaruddin1, Bujang B.K. Huat2, Vivi Anggraini3, Haslinda Nahazanan4
1Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
(corresponding author). E-mail: fateen_58@yahoo.com
2 Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
3 Discipline of Civil Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway,

47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

4Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abstract
Many recent researches have gotten particularly interested in using coir fiber as soil reinforcement
technique since its inclusion would improve the strength, durability, ductility and reduced shrinkage of the
soil matrix. The inclusion of fiber in the soil is observed to be better than soil stabilization with just chemical
agent. The effectiveness of soil reinforcement has been a concern since chemical agents ie. lime, gypsum
etc exhibited brittle behavior towards the soil stabilization. Regardless, this paper aims to study the tensile
strength of the fiber with and without treatment. About ten (10) single fibers with multiple different treatments
such as in calcium chloride and magnesium chloride were tested. Comparisons between the tensile
strength test of treated and untreated fiber were studied then recorded. The test results indicated that the
fiber treatment showed higher tensile strength compared to the fiber without treatment with the increment
of 48.3 and 22.8% for calcium treated and magnesium treated, respectively.

Keywords: Soil reinforcement, Fiber, Tensile strength test

1.0 Introduction magnesium chloride were tested. Comparisons

Soft soil is known as a soil that has low shear
strength, low permeability and high
compressibility which give a huge problem
towards engineer to deal with it. Stabilization
towards this kind of soil usually using lime,
gypsum, cement, and others. These types of
stabilization are usually one of the solutions that
many researchers have been done. Recently, the
inclusion of fiber as a soil reinforcement is been
widely investigated by some researcher in order
to determine the strength and stiffness of the soil
with the inclusion of fiber with either using natural
fiber or synthetics fiber. By Anggraini et al. (2015)
inclusion of fiber in lime treated soil would
develop the interfacial force and interlocking
strength mixtures as it increased in curing age.
Maher and Ho (1994) reported that the inclusion
of fibre in soil increase the peak of unconfined
compressive strength, tensile strength, energy
absorption capacity and improve ductility of
kaolinite clay. The inclusion of fiber in the soil has
been recently proved to increase the strength of
the soil. Therefore, in this study, a research about
the determination of the tensile strength of the
fiber with and without treatment will be
investigated. Single fibers with multiple different
treatments such as in calcium chloride and
between the tensile strength of treated and
untreated fiber were studied and then recorded.
2.0 Materials and Methods
2.1 Material Properties
The fiber that been used in this study was coir
fiber, which known as a fibrous material from
coconut husk. The materials are acknowledged
as light materials with high strength, high
durability and high-water absorption. Coir fiber
itself contain high lignin and cellulose properties
which makes the coir fiber lower coir degradation
compares to other types of natural fibers. Coir
fiber use in this investigation was obtained from
factory at Batu Pahat, Johor. Table 1 shows the
physical and mechanical of coir fiber.
Table 1: Physical and Mechanical Properties of
Coir Fiber used in this Study
Basic Properties Values
Length (mm) 5-20
Diameter (mm) 0.18-0.35
Tensile Strength 50-118
(MPa)
 5th GEGEU International Research Seminar 2017
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Selangor, Malaysia
October 30, 2018

2.2 Sample Preparation

In this investigation, there are 3 types of different

treatment for coir fiber were tested which is
untreated coir fiber, treated coir fiber with calcium
chloride and magnesium chloride. Coir fiber were
treated for 7 and 28 curing dates. The fiber was
firstly being treated with calcium and magnesium
with 0.5 molar of the chemical for 7 and 28 days
and then were soaked in the sodium hydroxide for
1 days in order to remove the purity at the surface
of the fiber. This method of treatment is based on
Anggraini (2016) in terms of chemical treatments
towards the coir fiber. After all of the treatment
was done, the treated fiber was placed for air
drying. Figure 1 shows the process for fiber
treatment.

2.3 Tensile Strength of Single Coir Fiber

Tensile test for single coir fiber with or without
fiber treatment was conducted according to the
ASTM D3379 standard using Instron Universal
Testing Machine 3365. The gauge length of each
fiber were similar with 10mm and the small 5 kN
load cell was used for this testing and the
crosshead speed that been used in this testing
was 1mm/min. The coir fiber specimen was stick
towards carboard as a frame as shown in figure 2
and then were grips between the load machine.
The carboard were then been cut on both of the
gauge length so that the tensile test could be
performed. About ten single coir fiber with and
without treatment were tested in this study with a
variation of diameter from 0.18 mm to 0.35mm.
From the test, average value of the tensile
strength was obtained.
Figure 2
Tensile strength test of single fiber
3.0 Results and Discussion
Table 2 shows the results of untreated and
treated fiber for 7 and 28 days curing date. From
the table, it can be seen that the highest tensile
strength was on the calcium chloride treatment
followed by magnesium chloride compared with
untreated fiber. The tensile strength of both fiber
treatment is insignificant which the results show
both treatment have increases the tensile
strength of the fiber. The increased tensile
strength is by 48.3,35.59,15.25 and 22.88% for
calcium treated (7 and 28) days and magnesium
treated (7 and 28) days respectively. For the fiber
treated with calcium chloride, the results for 7

Figure 1
Process of fiber treatment with calcium and magnesium chloride

days seem to be higher compared to 28 days
curing date but the results for both 7 and 28 days
curing date does not seem to be so significant.
This might due to the different diameter of the
fiber that been tested. For the tensile strength of
the fiber, the increase of the strength of the fiber
is due to each treatment with NaOH. Fiber treated
with NaOH caused flexibility on fiber since the
impurity of fibers were removed. It can be seen
after the fibre treated, the surface of the fiber
would become rougher. Clearly, it increases the
mechanical interlocking and adhesion at the fiber
interface is improved. This statement was
supported by Bateni et al. (2011) and Sarbaz et
al. (2014), the mechanical performance of fibers
were increased by coating the fibers with any
chemicals, hydroxyl group’s cellulose and lignin.
With this action, the properties increase the
mechanical interlocking and adhesion of the fiber.
Other than that, based on table 2, it can be
concluded that the thicker the diameter of the
fiber, the lower the tensile strength of the fiber.
Compared to the thinner the diameter shows the
higher the tensile strength. This might due to the
higher hemicellulose, lignin and cellulose on the
fiber with a thicker diameter.
Table 2
Results of tensile strength of fiber for 7 and 28
days
Fiber Diameter Tensile
(mm) Strength (MPa)
Natural Fiber 0.18-0.35 50-118
Calcium Treated 0.18-0.35 40-175
(7D)
Calcium Treated 0.18-0.35 60-160
(28D)
Magnesium 0.18-0.35 55-136
Treated (7D)
Magnesium 0.18-0.35 55-145
Treated
(28D)
4.0 Conclusions
Based on the study, it can be concluded that
treated fiber would increase the tensile strength
compared to untreated fiber. The increment of the
5th GEGEU International Research Seminar 2017
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Selangor, Malaysia
October 30, 2018
fiber strength is up to 48.3 and 22.8% for calcium
treated and magnesium treated. Therefore, with
the inclusion of the fiber treated in the soil will
increase the strength and reduce the brittleness
of the soil.
Acknowledgement
The author would like to express her gratitude to
Universiti Putra Malaysia and Ministry of Science
Technology Innovation (MOSTI) for providing the
financial support during the research under
project no: 06-01-04-SF2387.
Reference
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