This study examines recent research on mortar and concrete reinforced with natural fibers (NF). NF are a sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to conventional fibers, offering a way to reduce waste that would otherwise end up in landfills. The diversity of environments across continents provides a wide range of NF to study, and examining representative regions advances the knowledge obtained by enabling comparisons among varied global conditions. A key challenge with NF is their susceptibility to aggressive environments, thus necessitating pretreatment, with alkaline treatment being the most common method to enhance NF properties. As it has been reported, the workability of concrete and mortar decreases as NF content increases, yet this can be mitigated by adding more water or superplasticizers. Despite their benefits, it is advised not to use more than 0.5 % vol. of NF, as higher amounts typically lead to a reduction in the mechanical properties of the result. The durability and microstructure of NF-reinforced materials varies in accordance with test conditions and fiber types, moreover, testing in saline or accelerated aging environments often yields poor results. Further research on NF durability, particularly regarding dry-wet cycles and chloride penetration, is crucial. Environmental analyses show that concrete with NF offers lower energy requirements and reduces carbon footprints. Given the global complexities of NF, systematic studies in other regions are needed for comparative analysis. Nonetheless, using NF as reinforcement helps reduce agricultural waste by diverting it from landfills, aligning with circular economy principles, and promoting sustainability.

中文翻译：

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天然纤维作为砂浆和混凝土的增强材料：来自中美洲和南美洲地区的系统评价


本研究考察了最近对天然纤维 （NF） 加固砂浆和混凝土的研究。NF 是传统纤维的可持续、环保替代品，提供了一种减少废弃物的方法，否则这些废弃物最终会被填埋。各大洲环境的多样性为研究 NF 提供了广泛的 NF 研究，而研究代表性地区可以通过在不同的全球条件之间进行比较来推进获得的知识。NF 的一个关键挑战是它们对腐蚀性环境的敏感性，因此需要预处理，而碱性处理是增强 NF 性能的最常用方法。据报道，混凝土和砂浆的和易性随着 NF 含量的增加而降低，但这可以通过添加更多的水或高效减水剂来缓解。尽管有好处，但建议不要使用超过 0.5% 体积的 NF，因为较高的量通常会导致结果的机械性能降低。NF 增强材料的耐用性和微观结构根据测试条件和纤维类型而变化，此外，在盐水或加速老化环境中进行测试通常会产生较差的结果。对 NF 耐久性的进一步研究，特别是关于干湿循环和氯化物渗透的研究，至关重要。环境分析表明，含 NF 的混凝土具有较低的能源需求并减少碳足迹。鉴于 NF 的全球复杂性，需要在其他地区进行系统研究以进行比较分析。尽管如此，使用 NF 作为加固材料有助于减少农业废弃物，将其从垃圾填埋场转移出来，符合循环经济原则，并促进可持续发展。