Mechanical properties and water purification characteristics of natural jute fiber-reinforced non-cement alkali-activated porous vegetation blocks

This study reports the effects of the volume fraction of natural jute fiber and the content of the alkali activator on the physical and mechanical properties, sulfate ion resistance, and water purification characteristics of non-cement porous vegetation blocks. The volume fractions of the natural jute fiber were 0.0, 0.1, and 0.2 %, and the alkali activator was applied by replacing 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 % by weight of the blast-furnace slag. Void ratio, compressive strength, sulfate resistance, and water purification characteristics were characterized. The results indicate that increasing natural jute fiber and the alkali activator content increased the void ratio and improved compressive strength and sulfate resistance. pH was not affected by natural jute fiber content but increased with alkali activator content. At alkali activator contents of 9–10 %, the observed compressive strength was similar to that of cement blocks, whereas mixes with alkali activator contents of 8–10 % showed similar or greater void ratios than those of cement blocks. The compressive strength of the cement blocks decreased following immersion in sulfate solutions; however, the compressive strength of the mixes with the alkali activator and blast-furnace slag increased following exposure to sulfates. Water purification characteristics were examined by allowing water to filter through the blocks; the non-cement porous vegetation blocks reduced the suspended solids, 5-day biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and total phosphorous in the water by >40 %.