Because cement is one of the main causes of global warming, attempts to produce alternative cementitious materials with a low ecological footprint has recently increased exponentially. Alkali activated materials are energy-efficient alternative binders to cement. These materials are produced by the reaction of solid aluminosilicate source with various alkali activators. Silica and alumina-rich natural or artificial pozzolanic materials can be used as aluminosilicate precursors to production of them. They have high strength at early ages and good resistance to chemically-aggressive environments and high temperatures. However, they exhibit brittle behavior and the crack resistance of them is lower when compared to cement. These disadvantages of alkali-activated materials are tried to be eliminated by reinforcing them with various synthetic, steel, inorganic and natural fibers. Except for natural fiber, other fiber types cause energy consumption during their production. On the other hand, compared to other fiber types, natural fibers have several advantages such as low weight, biodegradable, renewable, non-toxic, widely available, and low cost. Therefore, natural fibers are the better choice for the production of fiber-reinforced alkali activated mortars. The current study aims to bridge the current knowledge gap by investigating the using possibilities of natural banana fiber-reinforced alkali activated mortar as a building material. The physical and mechanical properties of the produced material are assessed by comprehensive experimental methods. According to the test results, reinforcement of alkali activated mortar with natural banana fiber improves its mechanical properties like flexural strength, and ductility and reduces its brittle behavior.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Alkali Activated Mortar, Banana Fibre, Natural Fibre, Mechanical Property
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