Abstract:
Construction industry is widely focusing on
sustainable construction materials to mitigate the
environmental impact while improving building
performance. Simultaneously, textile industry produces
thousand tons of textile wastage per year, and it has
become a significant environmental challenge.
Incorporating fabric waste into concrete offers a
promising solution by enhancing thermal performance
while promoting circular economy principles. This study
experimentally investigating on the effects of textile fiber
on the fresh, mechanical, and thermal properties of the
concrete to develop the optimum mix design for improved
thermal comfort. Three different types of fabric waste
were selected based on their performance reviewed by
literature. Cotton, Polyester, and denim with varying
fabric content of 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% partially
replacement of fine aggregate and grade 25 concrete as
control mixed were tested experimentally. Mechanical
performance and thermal performance were evaluated
through slump test, compressive strength, flexural
strength and thermal conductivity. Fiber length was
maintained 10-20mm. The control mix achieved
compressive strengths of 23.60 MPa and 28.88 MPa at 7
and 14 days, and 33.50 MPa at 28 days. Strength
generally reduced with higher fiber content, with cotton
at 1.5% showing the lowest 28-day strength (28.40 MPa).
Flexural strength improved with fiber addition, and the
highest value was obtained for denim at 1.0%
replacement (4.55 MPa) compared to the control (4.10
MPa). Thermal conductivity decreased from 1.65 W/m·K
(control) to 1.34 W/m·K for cotton at 1.5%, representing
an 18.8% reduction. All three fabric types exhibited
distinct characteristics: cotton showed the best thermal
performance, polyester maintained higher strength, and
denim provided superior flexural behavior. An optimum
replacement level of about 1.0% is recommended, as it
achieves a balanced performance between mechanical
properties and thermal comfort, making it suitable for
practical applications.
