Performance of concrete beams reinforced using banana fiber bars

Abstract This study aims to analyze the performance of using banana fiber bars on the mechanical properties of reinforced concrete beams. In order to achieve this aim, several experimental studies on the utilization of banana fibers to optimize the strength and properties of concrete structures are performed. The experimental studies are conducted based on a group of seven specimens of concrete beams with different aspects to: (1) determine the most critical factors affecting the performance of flexure behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams using banana fiber bars, (2) study the mix design aspects of the banana fiber bar in RC, (3) study the behavior of banana fiber bars on concrete behavior, (4) study the effect of banana fiber with different concrete grades. Results show that using banana bars as a reinforcement material can significantly increase the ability to resist cracking and spalling in concrete beams. Hence, using banana bars as a main reinforcement in concrete give more flexural strength with approximately 25 % compared to plain concrete.