V3I7P80

Experimental Evaluation of Coconut Husk Mortar for Sustainable Ferrocement

Sagar Laxman Maske^1*,  A. B. Vawhale²  , S. P. Sharma³

Abstract

The continuous exploitation of natural river sand for mortar production has raised significant environmental concerns, necessitating the development of sustainable alternative materials. Coconut husk, an abundant agricultural by-product, offers considerable potential as a renewable fine aggregate while simultaneously addressing waste management challenges. This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing coconut husk as a partial and full replacement for river sand in mortar developed for ferrocement applications. An experimental program was conducted to develop mortar mixes capable of achieving the target compressive strength of 35 MPa in accordance with ACI 549.1R and the Ferrocement WRD Handbook. Conventional cement–sand mortar and coconut husk mortar incorporating steel fibres and chemical admixtures were produced and evaluated. The mechanical performance was assessed. The optimized coconut husk mortar mix is recommended for structural ferrocement applications, whereas lightweight coconut husk mortar is suitable for non-structural components. Overall, the study confirms that coconut husk is a technically feasible and environmentally sustainable alternative to natural river sand, contributing to resource conservation, agricultural waste utilization, and the advancement of sustainable ferrocement construction.

Keywords:

Coconut husk, Ferrocement, Strength, Mortar