Performance of Natural Fibre-Reinforced Geopolymer Composites Exposed to Sulphuric Acid

Increasing interest in using waste materials and by-products from different industries as renewable sources of construction materials is mainly for environmental concerns and sustainability. Geopolymer and natural fibres are examples of industrial wastes and by-products used. However, their acceptability in the industry is relatively low due to insufficient research on their durability performance. This paper presents an investigation into the durability of kenaf fibre-reinforced geopolymer composites (KFRGCs) when exposed to a 5% solution of sulphuric acid. The main parameters evaluated were the changes in the visual appearance, weight, and compressive strength. Geopolymer specimens’ reinforced composites with a 1% volume fraction of different lengths of kenaf fibres (20, 30, and 40 mm) were produced to evaluate the impact of the fibre addition and fibre length on the performance of geopolymer composites. The results showed that the KFRGC in the acidic environment demonstrated a reasonable level of resistance to the attack as compared to plain geopolymer concrete (GPC). Fibres’ length effects show shorter fibres which have better resistance than longer fibres. These findings display the positive impact of natural fibres on the performance of GPC in an acidic environment.