A Comprehensive Feasibility Study on the Use of Typha and Date Palm Fibers for Sustainable Building Materials

El Moustapha Elhaj-Maham¹, Babacar Diouf² and Elhadji Babacar Ly^{1, 3,}

¹Laboratoire Environnement Ingénierie Télécommunication et Énergies Renouvelables, Université Gaston Berger, Saint Louis, Sénégal

²Institut Polytechnique de Saint Louis, Université Gaston Berger, BP 234 Saint Louis, Sénégal

³UFR des Sciences Appliquées et de Technologie, Université Gaston Berger, Saint-Louis, Sénégal;Institut d’Innovation en EcoMatériaux, EcoProduits et EcoEnergies à base de Biomasse, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières (Qc), Canada

Cite this paper:
El Moustapha Elhaj-Maham, Babacar Diouf and Elhadji Babacar Ly. A Comprehensive Feasibility Study on the Use of Typha and Date Palm Fibers for Sustainable Building Materials. American Journal of Materials Science and Engineering. 2026; 14(1):17-23. doi: 10.12691/ajmse-14-1-3

Abstract

This study investigates the mechanical and thermal performance of eco-concretes reinforced with plant fibers, specifically Typha and date palm. Comparative analysis reveals that while compressive strengths remain comparable at moderate fiber contents (5–10%), a significant degradation is observed at higher dosages (15–20%), with values falling within the 4 to 2 MPa range. Typha-based concrete generally exhibits lower mechanical strength than date palm concrete, due to its higher flexibility and porous structure, which limit load transfer efficiency between binder and fibers. Conversely, date palm fibers, with greater rigidity and coarser granulometry, ensure superior compactness and adhesion, resulting in enhanced mechanical performance at equivalent dosage. At the same time, the incorporation of these fibers as partial sand replacements improves the thermal properties of the composites without compromising binder setting. Regarding thermal performance, Typha exhibits higher insulating capacity than date palm, reaching a conductivity of 0.28 W.m⁻¹.K⁻¹ compared to 0.31 W.m⁻¹.K⁻¹ at 20% fiber content. The findings demonstrate a direct correlation between physical and mechanical properties: reductions in density, associated with increased porosity and entrapped air, lead to diminished compressive strength. Overall, the results confirm that the performance of plant-based concretes is strongly dependent on fiber morphology, distribution, and interaction with the cementitious matrix, underscoring the need for optimized formulations to balance thermal efficiency and mechanical reliability.

Keywords:
Bio-Based concrete plant fiber Thermal conductivity Thermal conductivity Typha Date palm

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