Experimental Study of the Use of Banana Stem Fibre in Paving Blocks

Abstract

Construction can be categorized into two main types: structural and non-structural. One example of non-structural construction is paving, commonly utilized for road surfaces in rural areas or residential developments. During the planning phase, non-structural elements are frequently regarded merely as dead loads, without considering the potential interactions with structural components. However, it is important to note that paving is also subjected to dynamic loads. As a widely used material, paving is generally more cost-effective compared to rigid or flexible pavements. Paving can reduce the weight of buildings. Over time, paving technology has introduced numerous innovations in material usage, including the incorporation of waste materials such as bagasse ash, rice husk ash, sawdust, and iron filings. However, some studies have not achieved the expected quality of paving. Consequently, further discoveries have been made to optimize the use of available environmental resources. The objective of this research is to determine the compressive strength of paving blocks enhanced with banana stem fiber. The research methodology employed is experimental, conducted in a laboratory setting in accordance with applicable SNI standards. The test results indicated that the average compressive strength values for the paving blocks were 22.67 MPa at 7 days, 23.96 MPa at 14 days, and 25.12 MPa at 28 days.