Properties of Mortars Mixed with Polystyrene and Hemp Fiber Wastes
When polystyrene (PS) and hemp fiber waste were mixed into the sand aggregate, some physical-mechanical properties of mortar changed. The PS and hemp fiber were tested as partial replacements for sand in mortar with three designated percentages of 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0% by mass. The properties of mortar with PS were found to be better than that of the mortar with hemp fiber. The water absorption of mortar with PS was comparable with the reference mortar but lower than that of mortar with hemp fiber. The compressive strength of the mortar with PS was higher than that with hemp fiber whereas the tensile strength of the mortar with 2.5% PS and hemp fiber was comparable and was higher than that of the reference mortar. The thermal conductivity of a wall plastered by mortar containing PS decreased as the PS content was increased, whereas the thermal conductivity of a wall plastered by mortar containing hemp fiber increased as the hemp fiber content was increased. Thick crack was detected in the reference wall while hair line crack occurred from the wall plastered with PS and hemp fiber mortars. The results indicated that 10.0% PS could be used as a partial replacement for sand in mortar with an improvement in some of the properties of the mortar.