Iranian Journal of Wood and Paper Industries

Iranian Journal of Wood and Paper Industries

Improvement of the Flexural Strength of Wood-Cement Boards by Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer with Different Lengths

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Arezoo Mousavi 1
Meraj Sharari 2
akbar Rostampour haftkhani 3
Mohammad Arabi 4
Mohammad Ahmadi 5
1 MSc Student of Wood Science and Technology, department of natural resources, Faculty of agriculture and natural resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
2 - Associate prof. of Wood Science and Technology, department of natural resources, Faculty of agriculture and natural resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
3 Faculty member of University of Mahaghegh Ardabili, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Department of Wood Science and Technology
4 Assistant Professor, Department of Wood and Paper Science and Technology, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
5 Associate prof. of Wood Science and Technology, department of natural resources, Faculty of agriculture and natural resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
10.22034/ijwp.2026.2080919.1751
Abstract
Problem definition and objectives: Cement-bonded wood composite are panel products which are made by combining wood chips, lignocellulosic fibers, or agricultural waste with mineral binders, often Portland cement. Due to the presence of cement, these products are brittle and fragile. Therefore, this study was aimed to improve the properties of cement-bonded wood composites by reinforcing them by glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) with different lengths.
Methodology: In this study, the research variables included rice hull at two levels (5% and 10%), water-to-cement ratios at three levels (30:70, 35:65, and 40:60), and the length of the GFRP at four levels (0=without GFRP, 12 mm, 18 mm, and 24 mm). The amount of calcium chloride (3%), type of cement (Portland cement type 2), and percentage of GFRP (2.5%) were remained constant. In this study, 24 treatments and 6 replications were considered. Following the preparation of test samples, modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and density (D) were evaluated for the manufactured board.
Results: The results showed that in the manufactured specimens, the highest modulus of rupture (MOR) was related to boards made with 5% rice husk, 30% water to cement, and 18 mm GFRP length (4.510 MPa), and the lowest was related to boards made with 10% rice husk, 40% water to cement without GFRP (2.053 MPa).The results also indicated that the highest modulus of elasticity (MOE) was found in boards made with 5% rice hull, 30:70 water-to-cement, and a fiber length of 24 mm (3903.14 MPa), while the lowest was for boards made with 10% rice hull, 40:60 water-to-cement without GFRP (1045.59 MPa). Besides that, the highest density corresponded to boards made with 5% rice hull, 30:70 water-to-cement without GFRP (1.5686 g/cm³), while the lowest was for boards made with 10% rice hull, 40:60 water-to-cement, and a fiber length of 24 mm (0.9201 g/cm³). Also, as the amount of rice hull increased from 5% to 10%, the MOR, MOE, and density decreased by 17.55%, 24.33%, and 20.88%, respectively. In the reinforced specimens, as the percentage of water-to-cement increased from 30% to 40%, the MOR, MOE, and density decreased by 41.21%, 46.35%, and 17.93%, respectively. Additionally, with the increase in fiber length from 0 (Without GFRP) to 24 mm, the MOR and MOE increased by and 30.46% and 10.51%, respectively and the density decreased by 7.27%.
Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the incorporation of GFRP with various lengths into cement-bonded boards made from rice husk can significantly impact on the mechanical properties of them. Increasing the GFRP length up to 24 mm resulted in a remarkable improvement in both the modulus of rupture and the modulus of elasticity. The optimal production conditions for the wood–cement composite were achieved with 5% rice hull content, a water-to-cement ratio of 30%, and a fiber length of 24 mm. This study provides a practical strategy for enhancing the mechanical properties of wood–cement boards through the combination of synthetic and natural fibers, which can be valuable for researchers and professionals in the construction and composite materials industries.
Keywords
cement-bonded wood composites
rice hull
glass fiber reinforced polymer
bending strength
Subjects
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Iranian Journal of Wood and Paper Industries
Volume 17, Issue 2
Summer 2026
Pages 265-277