Effect of Immersion/Freezing/Drying Cycles on the Hygrothermal and Mechanical Behaviour of Hemp Concrete

Abstract:

Hemp concrete is one of the most used bio-based materials in the construction industry due to its hygrothermal behaviour and its low environmental footprint. This is mainly due to the complexity of the microstructure of these materials and their highly breathable nature. However, their use remains limited due to the lack of databases and guarantees regarding of the evolution of their functional properties over time. In this paper, experimental investigation has been performed to answer this problematic. The aim is to investigate the influence of accelerated aging on the properties of this material through a succession of immersion/freezing/drying cycles. Materials (aged and reference) were characterized at the same relative humidity state in order to be able to compare the results and to highlight the effect of ageing on the properties of hemp concrete. Results revealed a significant change in the microstructure of this material. As a consequence, this induced significant changes in its hygrothermal and mechanical properties. An increase of 40% in water vapour permeability and decrease of 57% in compressive strength were observed after aging (07 cycles of immersion/freezing/drying).

• Periodical: Construction Technologies and Architecture (Volume 1)
• Pages: 555-562
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/CTA.1.555
• Online since: January 2022
• Authors: Ferhat Benmahiddine*, Rafik Belarbi
• Keywords: Accelerated Aging, Hemp Concrete, Hygrothermal Properties, Mechanical Properties, Microstructure, Water Vapour Permeability

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