Administrative Information
‫المعلومات االدارية‬
Project Title - ‫عنوان المشروع‬
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING SYSTEMS – ALTERNATIVE CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS
LES SYSTEMES VIABLES DE BATIMENT – MATERIELS ALTERNATIFS DE
CONSTRUCTION
‫منشآت مستدامة – مواد إنشائية بديلة‬
Principal Investigator - ‫الباحث الرئيسي‬
‫رقم الهاتف‬
‫العنوان االلكتروني‬
Telephone
e-mail
+961-1- mounir@aub.edu..lb
350000 (ext
3460/4)
‫العنوان‬
Address
AUB, Bliss
Street,
Beirut,
Lebanon
‫الوظيفية‬
Post
Professor of
Civil
Engineering
‫المؤسسة‬
Institution
American
University of
Beirut (AUB)
– Civil &
Environmental
Engineering
Department
‫االسم‬
Name
Mounir
Mabsout
Co-Workers - ‫الباحثون المشاركون‬
‫العنوان االلكتروني‬
e-mail
bhamad@aub.edu.lb
‫المؤسسة‬
Institution
AUB
‫االسم‬
Name
Bilal Hamad
he00@aub.edu.lb
AUB
Helmi Khatib
2 years
: Duration -‫المدة التعاقدية للمشروع‬
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Scientific Information
‫العلمية‬
‫المعلومات‬
ّ
Objectives - ‫الهدف‬
The objective of this research was to identify new materials or create novel cement/concrete
mixes that encapsulate sustainable elements while satisfying strength and improving
performance requirements such as durability and thermal properties.
Achievements -‫أالنجازات المحققة‬
The output is considered to fit the criterion of sustainable building design since it is expected to:
when compared to regular cement or concrete mixes, (i) improve physical characteristics and
structural performance thus requiring less material; (ii) reduce material and energy resources
depletion; (iii) provide a material with better thermal property and therefore increase energy
efficiency; (iv) contribute to sustainable living through improving livelihood conditions of rural
and farming communities by using agricultural or recycled waste products.
Perspectives - ‫آفاق البحث‬
Phase 1:
In the first phase, new sustainable concrete was produced using materials that are classified as
wastes or naturally produced materials such as agricultural crops. Hemp was incorporated in
trial concrete mixes using variable aggregates proportions, in order to reach an optimal concrete
mix that encapsulates strength, performance, and thermal conductivity acceptance criteria. In
addition to hemp, banana tree leaves, palm tree leaves, and bamboo were investigated in the
research. Several laboratory tests were performed for the concrete physical properties.
Different volumetric ratios of added fibers were to be tried and tested. The trial mixes included
68 beams (5 x 20 x 20 cm) and 66 cubes (7 cm), tested at 10 and 28 days for flexural and
compressive strengths, respectively.
Phase 2:
Adopting the optimal hemp-reinforced concrete mix of the first phase, the hemp volumetric
ratio was varied between 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1.0%; in addition to the coarse aggregate reduction
percent variation between 10%¸ 20%, and 30%. The preliminary concrete mixes tests included
the compressive strength and the tensile strength. Furthermore, other tests were performed on
the new mixes, in order to confirm the performance and strength of the materials. These tests
encompassed slump test, density, tensile splitting test, flexural test, compression test, and
modulus of elasticity test. Besides, the thermal transmission property was investigated using a
block test. A total of 180 standard cylinders (15 x 30 cm), 72 beams (15 x 15 x 54 cm), and 12
blocks (5 x 30 x 30 cm) were prepared. The compressive strength was determined at 3, 7, and
28 days concrete age. The flexural strength was determined at 7 and 28 days. All other tests
were performed at 28 days.
In addition to the control mix, two hemp mixes were adopted and structural elements were
prepared and tested. Structural elements included 18 simply supported beams (20 x 30 x 200
cm). The main structural properties were checked in terms of the flexural, shear, and bond
strength. The effects of admixtures in the concrete mixes on the structural behavior were
compared with regular control concrete mixes. Identical structural elements with new concrete
mixes versus structural elements with regular control concrete mix were cast and compared.
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Publications & Communications - ‫المنشورات والمساهمات في المؤتمرات‬
DOCTORAL DISSERTATION
Awwad, E. (2011). “Sustainable Building Systems Alternative Construction Materials.” PhD
Thesis, Civil Engineering, American University of Beirut.
PAPERS IN REFEREED JOURNALS
Awwad, E., Hamad, B., Mabsout, M., and Khatib, H. (2012). “Structural Behavior of Simply
Supported Beams Cast with Hemp-Reinforced Concrete.” Under review by the American
Concrete Institute (ACI) Materials Journal.
Awwad, E., Mabsout, M., Hamad, B., Farran, M., and Khatib, H. (2012). “Studies on FiberReinforced Concrete using Industrial Hemp Fibers.” The Construction and Building Materials
Journal, Elsevier, Vol. 35, October 2012, pp.710-717.
Awwad, E., Hamad, B., Mabsout, M., and Khatib, H. (2012). “Sustainable Concrete using
Hemp Fibers.” Construction Materials Journal, Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), DOI:
10.1680/coma.11.00006.
Awwad, E., Mabsout, M., Hamad, B., and Khatib, H. (2011). “Preliminary Studies on the Use
of Natural Fibers in Sustainable Concrete.” Lebanese Science Journal, Lebanese Association
for the Advancement of Science (LAAS), Vol.12, Issue No. 1, June 2011, pp 109-117.
PAPERS IN REFEREED CONFERENCES PROCEEDINGS
Awwad, E., Hamad, B., Mabsout, M., and Khatib, H., “Sustainable Construction Material Using
Hemp Fibers – Preliminary Study.” Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on
Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies, Università Politecnica delle Marche,
Ancona, Italy, June 28-30, 2010.
Awwad, E., Mabsout, M., Hamad, B., and Khatib, H., “Preliminary Studies on the Use of
Natural Fibers in Sustainable Concrete.” Proceedings of the 16th Science Meeting, Lebanese
National Council for Scientific Research (LNCSR) and the Lebanese Association for the
Advancement of Science (LAAS), Beirut Arab University, Lebanon, Nov. 13-15, 2009.
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Abstract - ‫موجز عن نتائج البحث‬
The research reports on tests performed on sustainable ‘‘green’’ concrete using industrial hemp
fibers. The incorporation of hemp in concrete would save on natural resources. The demand for
hemp would be a major incentive to farmers to benefit from the social impact. In the
experimental program, tests’ results on standard specimens for flexure, compression, splitting
tensile, modulus of elasticity, thermal conductivity, density, and slump are presented. In
addition to the control mix, two hemp mixes were adopted and structural elements were
prepared and tested. The main structural properties were checked in terms of the flexural,
shear, and bond strength. Results indicate that the use of industrial hemp fibers led to a
reduction in coarse aggregate quantity without affecting the flexural performance of concrete, in
addition to a significant enhancement in ductility of load–deflection behavior.
The final outcome was an optimal hemp-reinforced concrete mix. Other agricultural fibers
were excluded from the research because of their weakened performance compared to the hemp
fibers in concrete, and due to the limited availability of needed larger quantities. Once hemp
crops are found to be satisfactory in concrete mixes, the local harvesting of hemp is
recommended. Hemp would be an advantageous substitute to its sister illegal drug plant. The
demand for the hemp fibers for concrete production would be a major incentive to Lebanese
farmers to grow this plant and benefit from the social impact on the habitat level of living.
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