Towards sustainable construction in Cameroon : impact of tropical plant fibers on the performance of compressed earth bricks

This study aims to promote the use of local materials in modern construction in Cameroon by evaluating the effect of the incorporation of natural fibers (sisal, Rhecktophyllum camerunense (RC), and oil palm mesocarp fibers (OPMF)) on the physical and mechanical properties of compressed earth bricks (CEB). The properties of the fibers were evaluated, and the results showed values in accordance with the literature. Four types of CEB were manufactured according to EN 196-1 standards with a compaction stress of 4 MPa, including samples reinforced with fiber mass fractions (0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1% and 1.5%) and CEB stabilized with 8% cement. The density, water absorption content, flexural and compressive strength of CEB were evaluated. The results show that natural fibers lighten CEBs by up to 28% and increase their water absorption capacity by 21–30%, compared to cement-stabilized CEBs. RC fiber reinforced CEBs are the lightest due to their low density. The addition of 0.75% sisal and OPMF fibers, as well as 1.25% RC fibers, improves the flexural strength by more than 65% compared with cement-stabilized CEBs. However, natural fiber reinforcement generally reduces compressive strength, except for CEBs reinforced with 1.25% sisal fibers, which exceed cement-stabilized CEBs by 9.54%. This study demonstrates that the use of natural fibers can improve certain CEB properties while offering a lighter and potentially more environmentally-friendly alternative to cement.