Mineralogical and Physicomechanical Characterization of the Raffia Vinifera Arecaceae Stem as Potential Reinforcement of Concrete

This work studies the physicomechanical property of the reinforced concrete by substitution of steel with raffia vinifera. The property of raw material has been investigated by mineralogical and physicomechanical analysis. The concrete blocks of 160 x 160 x 320 mm were reinforced with 2, 3 and 4 stems of the Raffia and cured by irrigation method. At each testing day, water absorption, density and compressive strength were tested. The Raffia stem is composed essentially by the cellulose type 1 with crystalline and amorpha phase. Their bulk density ranges from 0.33 to 0.97 g/cm3 with the average value of 0.56 g/cm3. The average compressive strength of Raffia vinifera stem is 20 Mpa. The bulk density of Raffia concrete decreases when the number of Raffia stems increases in the mixture contrary to the compressive strength which increases significantly. The best result of compressive strength (27 Mpa) was obtained with three protected Raffia stems with fluidify bitumen comparatively to the normal concrete (24 Mpa) at 28 curing days. According to the results obtained, the raffia rods can substitute the steel in light reinforced concrete structural elements using three waterproof rods of raphia arranged in a triangle.