Performance and Sustainability Assessment of NaOH-Treated Banana Fiber-Reinforced Concrete: Experimental and Statistical Insights

This study investigated banana fiber-reinforced concrete (BFRC) containing untreated and NaOH-treated banana fibers at 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% dosages, with emphasis on mechanical performance, durability, workability, and environmental sustainability. Alkali treatment enhanced fiber–matrix bonding, with the optimum performance obtained at 0.6% NaOH-treated fiber, achieving a 28-day compressive strength of 28.5 MPa, representing an 18.8% improvement over the control. Corresponding splitting tensile and flexural strengths were 3.25 and 5.7 MPa, respectively. Selected fiber contents reduced water absorption and improved resistance to water penetration under the investigated laboratory conditions. However, workability decreased with increasing fiber dosage because of increased internal friction, although all mixtures remained within acceptable handling limits. One-way ANOVA revealed a significant difference among BFRC groups for flexural strength (p = .002), whereas differences in compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity were statistically insignificant. Environmental assessment showed reductions in embodied energy from 2280 to 2105 MJ/m3and CO2 emissions from 300 to 271 kg CO2/m3, while material costs increased marginally by up to 1.63%. Overall, BFRC offers improved sustainability and mechanical performance, although further long-term durability assessment is required for practical application.