Samenvatting

The goal of this research was to set up suitable laboratory tests and analysis methods for the strength and durability testing of bio-based textile reinforced concrete. This thesis was a preparatory research for the actual development of bio-based TRC applications, which was not undertaken due to unforeseen limitations. These were caused by the closing of the labs due to quarantine for the COVID-19 virus.
With Textile Reinforced Concrete being a composite material with a heterogeneous structure, it was important to evaluate the properties of the individual materials and their composite action to gain an understanding of the composite behaviour of a structure made from it. This was done through the form of literature review and an MCA. These two forms of evaluation gave the final result that the best textile reinforcement from the chosen textiles that were researched was the Jute textile. This was due to its low environmental impact when compared to the more commonly used textiles such as carbon fibre and AR
glass fibres (van Dam, 2008), as well as its high strength when being compared to its fellow biobased textiles such as ampliTex and powerRibs (Sett et al. 2000). The Jute textile scored the highest score of 10 out of 10 in 4 out of 7 of the different criteria assessed in the MCA, these being CO2 footprint, Density, Energy consumption and Compatibility. The criteria where it did not score the highest were Tensile strength, where it scored the highest of the biobased textiles, Cost of material where it was second highest with 8 out of 10 and Workability where it also came second with 8 out of ten. This shows that the textile itself was dominant throughout all criteria in the MCA.
Summarizing, throughout the process of researching the biobased textile reinforcements the different aspects of the reinforcement, both biobased and more commonly used as a comparison, were found and analysed, namely, their benefits, limitations and costs. These were then used to decide whether the use of biobased textiles were beneficial to the construction. Although they were found to be beneficial, one of the negative factors found for when dealing with biobased textiles was the need for pretreatments of the textile to ensure cohesion and compatibility between it and the concrete matrix. This aspect was not investigated in this research context due to limited access to the laboratory facilities, but it definitely
requires further research and analysis in the future.