Impact of needle grass Powder as hydraulic binder on eco-Friendly cementitious materials

Mohammed Aqil; Halima Soussi; Maha Ben Tahar

doi:10.31893/multiscience.2025295

Keywords:

Abstract

The valorization of natural resources within the cement industry has become a pressing challenge in Morocco, particularly in the eastern region, which is home to extensive but poorly managed areas of needle grass (Stipa tenacissima). This study aims to investigate the impact of using needle grass residue powder, derived from crushing the herb, as a shrinkage and crack-reducing agent in cementitious materials. This innovative approach involves incorporating the powder into cement formulations to enhance physical and mechanical properties and reduce the risk of fracture propagation. Cementitious materials are highly sensitive to environmental conditions, particularly variations in internal relative humidity and hydration, leading to macroscopic deformations that can damage structures. This process, known as drying shrinkage, often results in cracks that not only affect the aesthetic appeal but also compromise the material's structural integrity. Our experimental investigation demonstrates that substituting cement paste with crushed needle grass powder at varying percentages (10%, 25%, and 50%) improves compressive and tensile strength and significantly mitigates the formation and width of cracks, delaying their onset. Furthermore, the drying shrinkage and the crack width begins to develop as soon as the material develops sufficient rigidity.
References
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18. Kim, S. (2012). Mechanical forces affecting concrete durability. Journal of Civil Engineering, 21(3), 201–213.
19. Kolias, ., & Georgiou, C. (2005). The effect of paste volume and of water content on the strength and water absorption of concrete. Cement and Concrete Composites, 27(2), 211–216.
20. Li, J. (2005). Water absorption in shrinkage mitigation. Concrete Science and Technology, 15(1), 95–108.
21. Lopez, C. (1997). Eco-friendly construction materials. Sustainable Engineering Journal, 3(1), 101–115.
22. Martin, A. (2003). Standards for hydraulic binders. Construction Codes Journal, 12(4), 77–89.
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24. Nguyen, T. H. (2011). Rice husk ash as a supplementary cementitious material in ultra-high performance concrete. Cement and Concrete Composites.
25. Nunes, J., & Silva, P. (2014). Natural herb residues as hydraulic binders. Materials Science Journal, 7(3), 111–124.
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27. Ouyang, D., et al. (2011). Chemical attacks on concrete structures. Cement and Concrete Research, 43(4), 321–333.
28. Patel, R., et al. (2006). Shrinkage-reducing components in concrete. Materials Journal, 8(2), 72–85.
29. Roberts, L. (2013). Durability of cementitious structures under stress. Structural Integrity Journal, 5(2), 87–99.
30. Singh, P., et al. (2002). Formulation and selection of hydraulic binders. Materials Engineering, 14(3), 58–71.
31. Smith, J. (2020). Sustainable industrial practices in Morocco. Journal of Environmental Management, 35(18), 123–134.
32. Thompson, L. (1998). Optimal substitution percentages in concrete. Cement and Concrete Applications, 17(2), 90–103.
33. Turner, K. (2004). Enhancing structure durability through shrinkage control. Construction Materials and Methods, 18(2), 34–47.
34. Wang, Y. (2009). Moisture gradients and drying shrinkage in concrete. Journal of Materials Science, 30(2), 159–171.
35. Wang, L., Zhang, B., & Zhang, J. (2021). Properties of recycled aggregate concrete modified with pozzolanic admixtures. Materials and Structures.
36. White, S. (2000). Needle grass: An abundant resource in Morocco. Agricultural Resources Review, 11(1), 14–27.
37. Yang, H., et al. (1999). Experimental investigation of concrete substitutes. Journal of Experimental Construction, 5(3), 45–58.
38. Zhang, X. (2008). Crack formation in cementitious structures. Engineering Failure Analysis, 19(4), 342–354.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Aqil, M., Soussi, H., & Ben Tahar, M. (2024). Impact of needle grass Powder as hydraulic binder on eco-Friendly cementitious materials . Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 7(6), 2025295. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2025295

[1] Abu Taqa, A., El-Dieb, A., & Reda Taha, M. M. (2023). Enhanced mechanical properties and durability of fly ash concrete. Journal of Advanced Concrete Technology.

[2] Adams, G. (2001). Needle grass residues in construction materials. Eco-Friendly Materials Journal, 6(2), 23–35.

[3] Aqil, M., Bahi, L., Ouadif, L., Amgaad, S., & Bouajaj, A. (2018). Workability and durability of sand concrete based on cementitious matrix and plastic additives. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 6(9), 1617–1632. https://iaeme.com/Home/article_id/IJCIET_09_06_182

[4] Aqil, M., Bahi, L., Ouadif, L., Amgaad, S., & Bouajaj, A. (2018). The impact of the addition of plastic additives, polypropylene fibers and specimen shape on drying shrinkage and mass loss of high-performance sand concrete. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET, 9)(13), 1617–1632.

[5] Aqil, M., Bahi, L., Ouadif, L., Belhaj, S., & Edderkaoui, R. (2020). The influence of curing temperature, plastic additives and polypropylene fibers on the mechanical behaviour of cementitious materials. E3S Web Conference, 150, 02018. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202015002018

[6] Brown, A., & Green, B. (2019). International climate change recommendations and their impact on industrial practices. Global Environmental Policy, 28(1), 45–59.

[7] Hesse, C., et al. (2010). A new approach in quantitative in-situ XRD of cement pastes: Correlation of heat flow curves with early hydration reactions. Cement and Concrete Research.

[8] Chindaprasirt, P., & Rukzon, S. (2015). Effect of rice husk ash on the properties of high-strength mortar. Construction and Building Materials.

[9] Clark, R. (2010). Physical phenomena in cementitious materials. Materials and Structures, 12(1), 44–56.

[10] Cooper, H. (2007). Innovative solutions to concrete shrinkage. Journal of Innovative Construction, 9(3), 129–141.

[11] Edderkaoui, R., Khomsi, D., Hamidi, A., et al. (2021). Novel approach for the rational management of household and similar waste using AHP, fuzzy TOPSIS, and GIS. Euro-Mediterranean Journal for Environmental Integration, 6(63). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-021-00271-6

[12] Edderkaoui, R., Khomsi, D., Hamidi, A., Baiti, H. B., Souidi, H., & Aqil, M. (2020). Verification of the technical feasibility of composting: Case study. E3S Web Conference, 150, 02018. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202015002018

[13] Garcia, F., et al. (2016). Enhancing sustainability with recycled construction materials. Eco-Con Journal, 14(2), 34–47.

[14] Green, M. (1996). Reducing environmental impact through material innovation. Environmental Construction Review, 7(4), 52–65.

[15] Hernandez, M. (2015). Recycled aggregates: Potential and challenges. Green Building, 11(1), 56–69.

[16] Thomas, J. J. (2007). A new approach to modeling the nucleation and growth kinetics of tricalcium silicate hydration. Journal of the American Ceramic Society.

[17] Johnson, D., & Lee, E. (2017). The use of recycled aggregates in construction. Construction Materials Review, 22(4), 215–230.

[18] Kim, S. (2012). Mechanical forces affecting concrete durability. Journal of Civil Engineering, 21(3), 201–213.

[19] Kolias, ., & Georgiou, C. (2005). The effect of paste volume and of water content on the strength and water absorption of concrete. Cement and Concrete Composites, 27(2), 211–216.

[20] Li, J. (2005). Water absorption in shrinkage mitigation. Concrete Science and Technology, 15(1), 95–108.

[21] Lopez, C. (1997). Eco-friendly construction materials. Sustainable Engineering Journal, 3(1), 101–115.

[22] Martin, A. (2003). Standards for hydraulic binders. Construction Codes Journal, 12(4), 77–89.

[23] Miller, C. (2018). The environmental impact of construction industries. Sustainable Construction Journal, 10(3), 98–107.

[24] Nguyen, T. H. (2011). Rice husk ash as a supplementary cementitious material in ultra-high performance concrete. Cement and Concrete Composites.

[25] Nunes, J., & Silva, P. (2014). Natural herb residues as hydraulic binders. Materials Science Journal, 7(3), 111–124.

[26] Jensen, O. M., & Hansen, P. F. (2001). Water-entrained cement-based materials: I. Principles and theoretical background. Cement and Concrete Research, 31(7), 647–654.

[27] Ouyang, D., et al. (2011). Chemical attacks on concrete structures. Cement and Concrete Research, 43(4), 321–333.

[28] Patel, R., et al. (2006). Shrinkage-reducing components in concrete. Materials Journal, 8(2), 72–85.

[29] Roberts, L. (2013). Durability of cementitious structures under stress. Structural Integrity Journal, 5(2), 87–99.

[30] Singh, P., et al. (2002). Formulation and selection of hydraulic binders. Materials Engineering, 14(3), 58–71.

[31] Smith, J. (2020). Sustainable industrial practices in Morocco. Journal of Environmental Management, 35(18), 123–134.

[32] Thompson, L. (1998). Optimal substitution percentages in concrete. Cement and Concrete Applications, 17(2), 90–103.

[33] Turner, K. (2004). Enhancing structure durability through shrinkage control. Construction Materials and Methods, 18(2), 34–47.

[34] Wang, Y. (2009). Moisture gradients and drying shrinkage in concrete. Journal of Materials Science, 30(2), 159–171.

[35] Wang, L., Zhang, B., & Zhang, J. (2021). Properties of recycled aggregate concrete modified with pozzolanic admixtures. Materials and Structures.

[36] White, S. (2000). Needle grass: An abundant resource in Morocco. Agricultural Resources Review, 11(1), 14–27.

[37] Yang, H., et al. (1999). Experimental investigation of concrete substitutes. Journal of Experimental Construction, 5(3), 45–58.

[38] Zhang, X. (2008). Crack formation in cementitious structures. Engineering Failure Analysis, 19(4), 342–354.

Abstract

References

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