Physical and mechanical characteristics of raw jute fibers, threads and diatons

The need for a “systemic” approach to reduce both carbon footprint and seismic vulnerability of the built environment is clearly evident nowadays. Therefore, the use of bio-based composites, is gaining consensus as a sustainable solution due to their low environmental impact and promising properties as a construction material. This paper investigates the performance of the raw jute fiber and jute threads in view of their possible use as thermal insulation and structural reinforcement in composite systems with inorganic matrices. Specifically, the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of the jute fibers, threads and diatons are investigated. They show that they have potential to be used as a construction material. In fact, water absorption of jute fibers, threads and diatons has been almost similar, ranging in between 1.83 and 2.50 g(water)/g(fiber), while the specific mechanical performance of fibers worsens as sample size grows from fibers to threads and diatons. Based on the results reported in the present paper, further studies are already under development with the aim to assess the actual thermal and mechanical response of jute-reinforced Textile-Reinforced Mortars (TRM) as a sustainable technology to thermal and seismic upgrading of existing masonry buildings.