Evaluating the Performance of Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Concrete Incorporating Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), Banana Fiber and Sisal Fiber

Abstract

Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials due to its high compressive strength, durability, availability, and versatility. However, conventional concrete is relatively weak in tension and is susceptible to cracking and brittle failure. The incorporation of fibers into concrete is an effective approach for improving its crack resistance and mechanical performance. The present study investigates the performance of Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Concrete incorporating Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) solution, banana fiber, and sisal fiber. In the present investigation, M25 grade concrete was used as the base concrete. Polyvinyl Alcohol powder was dissolved in water and incorporated into the concrete at a constant dosage of 2.5% by weight of cement. Banana fiber and sisal fiber were incorporated at different volume fractions of 0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75%. A total of ten concrete mixtures, designated as M0 to M9, were prepared to investigate the individual and combined effects of banana and sisal fibers. The experimental programme included the slump test, compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, water absorption. Overall, the study demonstrates the potential of PVA-banana-sisal hybrid fiber reinforced concrete as a promising alternative for improving the mechanical performance of M25 concrete. The use of banana and sisal fibers also provides an opportunity to utilize renewable natural materials in cement-based construction. Further investigations are recommended to evaluate long-term durability, microstructural characteristics, shrinkage and creep behaviour, economic feasibility, and structural-scale applications of the developed hybrid concrete.

Introduction

The text presents an experimental study on Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Concrete (HFRC) using Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), banana fiber, and sisal fiber to improve the mechanical performance of concrete.

1. Background

Concrete is one of the world's most widely used construction materials because of its high compressive strength, durability, versatility, and relatively low cost. However, conventional concrete has low tensile strength and behaves in a brittle manner. Cracking caused by loading, shrinkage, temperature changes, and environmental exposure can reduce its durability and structural performance.

Fiber reinforcement can help overcome these limitations. PVA fibers improve crack control, ductility, and bonding, while banana and sisal fibers provide additional crack-bridging and reinforcement. Combining different fibers can therefore produce a synergistic effect and improve concrete performance.

2. Materials Used

The study used:

• OPC 53-grade cement

• Natural river sand

• Coarse aggregate

• Potable water

• Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)

• Banana fiber

• Sisal fiber

• Superplasticizer, when required

PVA is a synthetic fiber with good tensile strength, flexibility, and bonding with cement paste. Its hydrophilic nature helps it interact strongly with the cement matrix and control crack propagation.

3. Experimental Programme

The investigation used M25-grade concrete. A conventional concrete mix (M0) was used as the control, while modified mixes contained 2.5% PVA by weight of cement combined with different amounts of banana and/or sisal fiber.

The main combinations were:

• M0: No fibers

• M1–M3: PVA + banana fiber at 0.25–0.75%

• M4–M6: PVA + sisal fiber at 0.25–0.75%

• M7–M9: PVA + combinations of banana and sisal fibers at 0.25–0.75%

4. 7-Day Compressive Strength

At 7 days, the average compressive strength ranged approximately from 17.50 to 20.13 MPa.

The highest value was obtained by M8, containing:

• 2.5% PVA

• 0.50% banana fiber

• 0.50% sisal fiber

Its average compressive strength was 20.13 MPa.

The relatively small difference among the three M8 specimens indicates reasonably consistent test results.

5. 28-Day Compressive Strength

The 28-day results showed a clearer improvement from fiber addition.

The control mix M0 achieved 27.83 MPa, whereas M8 achieved the highest value of 33.67 MPa.

This represents an improvement of approximately 20.98% compared with the control concrete.

6. Reason for Strength Improvement

The improved performance is attributed to the combined action of the three fibers:

• PVA fibers improve cohesion between the cementitious matrix and fibers.

• Banana fibers help restrict the initiation and growth of micro-cracks.

• Sisal fibers provide additional crack bridging and reinforcement.

• The combination of fibers helps distribute stresses and restrict crack propagation. performance, while excessive fiber may negatively affect workability and strength. The text also introduces split tensile testing, but

However, the results also show that more fiber does not always mean higher strength. M9, which had higher fiber content than M8, showed a reduction to 32.33 MPa. Excessive fiber can reduce workability, cause poor fiber dispersion, and make compaction more difficult.

Conclusion

The present investigation demonstrates that the incorporation of Polyvinyl Alcohol solution, banana fiber, and sisal fiber can significantly modify the performance of M25 concrete. The experimental results indicate that an appropriate combination of natural fibers is essential for achieving improved mechanical performance. Among the investigated mixtures, M8 containing 2.5% PVA, 0.50% banana fiber, and 0.50% sisal fiber exhibited the best performance in terms of the measured compressive and split tensile strengths. The 28-day compressive strength increased from 27.83 MPa for M0 to 33.67 MPa for M8, representing an improvement of approximately 20.98%. Similarly, the 28-day split tensile strength increased from 2.75 MPa to 4.03 MPa, corresponding to an improvement of approximately 46.67%.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Akanksha Nirmalkar, Nupur Dewangan. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.