Effects of Fibre Moisture Content on the Mechanical Properties of Jute Reinforced Compressed Earth Composites

This paper presents an experimental investigation into the influence of fibre moisture content on the mechanical properties of Jute Fibre Reinforced Compressed Earth Composites (JRCECs). The addition of 0.5% by weight of jute fibre at natural moisture content increased the tensile and compressive strength by approximately 3 and 2 times respectively, when compared to unreinforced samples. The results indicate that soaking and drying jute fibre causes a reduction in the mechanical properties of the fibre and the JRCEC. It was found that jute fibres at natural moisture content should be incorporated in JRCECs to achieve optimum compressive and tensile strength.