Using natural fibres and natural fibre reinforced polymer composites as reinforcement materials of construction structures

Natural fibres and their fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are light-weight and environmentally-friendly materials which can be used as sustainable construction and building materials. Among different natural fibres, coir has the largest toughness which can be used as reinforcement within concrete (i.e. coir fibre reinforced concrete (CFRC)) to increase concrete mechanical properties. Flax has favorable specific tensile properties which are comparable to those of synthetic E-glass fibres, thus flax fibre reinforced polymer composite (FFRP) can be used in the similar ways of glass FRP as reinforcement of different construction structures. A combination of prefabricated FFRP tube and a CFRC core can be formed an innovative steel-free FFRP-CFRC (i.e. FFRP tube encased CFRC) hybrid structure possessing the advantageous of both components. Current study provides an overview of (1) structural performance of FFRP-CFRC hybrid structures under static and dynamic loadings and (2) use of FFRP as external strengthening material of concrete and timber structures.