Characterization of mechanical properties of hemp-clay composite

Abstract

The need to reduce greenhouse gases emission produced by the building sector leads to the research of renewable and less impacting materials that can replace traditional ones. This study focuses on development of a new sustainable building material using hemp and natural clay. In this work, experimental investigation was carried out to study the mechanical performance of hemp clay composite. The composites are made with different Hemp to Binder mass ratio. The hemp to Binder ratio is estimated regarding traditional mix proportioning of hemp concrete used for floor, wall and roof. Firstly, hemp shiv was characterized in term of density, particle size distribution and water absorption. Then, the mechanical properties are determined to compare the mechanical behavior of the hemp clay composites with hemp concrete. The results show that the density of the composite materials varies with the H/B ratio. The density range between 373 kg/m3 and 510 kg/m3. It is shown that mechanical properties depend strongly on the Hemp to Binder ratio and on density. The tensile strength ranges from 0.021 to 0.026 MPa and the compressive strength ranges from 0.39 to 0.48 MPa. The results show that the mechanical performance of produced composite materials meets the requirements of the intended use.