Performance of fiber reinforced low-carbon concrete: role of corn cob ash and corn husk fiber

This study investigates the mechanical, rheological, and micro-structural properties of corn cob ash (CCA) and corn husk fiber-reinforced concrete to reduce cement dependency and the carbon footprint of concrete. It incorporated corn husk fiber (0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%) as a volume percentage of cement, alongside 10% CCA as a cement replacement. Compared to the control specimen, a combination of 10% CCA and 1% corn husk fiber increased compressive strength by 7.54%. Splitting tensile and flexural strength improved by 25.55% at 1.5% fiber and 26.58% at 1% fiber, respectively, compared to the control mix. Scanning electron microscopy revealed good bonding between the cement matrix and fibers. In contrast, Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the presence of more biodegradable carbon elements and an effective pozzolanic reaction in the fiber-reinforced concrete. Furthermore, the study showed that using natural corn husk fiber reduced fabrication costs by nearly 4% and CO2 emissions by 2.5%.