Engineering Sustainability Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers

Engineering Sustainability
http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/ensu.14.00058
Flexural properties of composite gypsum Paper 1400058
partition panel Received 23/11/2014 Accepted 18/05/2015
Keywords: environment/materials technology/sustainability
Aghaee, Yazdi and Yang

ice | proceedings ICE Publishing: All rights reserved

Flexural properties of composite

gypsum partition panel
1 Kamran Aghaee MSc 3 Jian Yang PhD
MSc Postgraduate, Department of Civil Engineering, Islamic Azad Assistant Professor of Structural Engineering, School of Civil
University, Yazd Branch, Yazd, Iran Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK
2 Mohammad Ali Yazdi
MSc Student, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil
Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, PR China

1 2 3

Bending tests were conducted on prismatic samples of gypsum panels with a core of textile waste fibres. The samples
were prepared by confining the waste textile fibres with glass fibre mesh (GFM). The dimensions of the fibre core and
the type of mesh employed were used as variables to obtain optimal flexural strength and energy absorption capability.
The test results revealed that the gypsum panels with a central core of textile waste fibres have high ductility and high
energy absorption capacity. It was concluded that using textile waste materials and GFMs embedded in gypsum can
produce three-layer partitions and reduce the landfilling of textile wastes.

1. Introduction
For the past several decades, calcium sulfate dehydrate
(CaSO4.2H2O or gypsum) materials have been commonly used in
residential, industrial and commercial buildings in building facade
panels, internal partitions and drywall boards due to their low cost,
light weight, thermal/acoustic insulation and fire resistance (Li et
al., 2003; Mohandesia et al., 2011; Rahmana et al., 2007; Zhang et
al., 2011). Moreover, recycled gypsum, derived from gypsum waste
plasterboard, has recently been utilised as one of the wastes for
ground improvement in disparate projects such as embankments,
highways and significantly in geotechnical applications; along
with decreasing the cost of ground improvement, this has
many environmental benefits (Samir and Somashekar, 2007).
Nevertheless, there are some constraints in the use of these materials
due to mechanical properties such as their high brittleness and low
bending strength. In order to overcome these constraints, different
fibres have been used to reinforce gypsum members (Zhang et
al., 2011). Cotton fibre has been used to reinforce gypsum for
more than 3000 years because of its renewability, versatility, low
cost and satisfactory strength, but applications of cotton fibre in
gypsum could also be beneficial in terms of energy savings and
environmental protection (Wang, 2010; Zhang et al., 2011).
Many researchers have already studied the application of different
types of fibre in gypsum construction. Ali and Grimer (1968)
investigated the influence of glass fibres on the mechanical properties
of gypsum and showed that there is an interaction between the plaster
and glass fibres and that the fracture mode of gypsum can change
from brittle to quasi-plastic through the use of such fibres. Evans
et al. (1981) used expanded perlite as a filter in a semi-dry process
for the production of lightweight glass fibre reinforced gypsum. The
results illustrated that, while this type of gypsum was low in strength,
the material had beneficial insulation and fire resistance properties.
Li et al. (2003) reported that adding cotton stalk into gypsum had a
significant impact on its mechanical properties, achieved by the strong
interfacial bond between the cotton stalk fibres and the gypsum matrix.
Wu (2004) investigated the influence of longitudinal reinforcement
on the cyclic shear behaviour of glass fibre reinforced gypsum wall
panels. The obtained results showed that although continuity of the
longitudinal reinforcement had no significant impact on the shear
strength of the wall panels, it had a slight effect on their initial
stiffness, ductility ratio, stiffness degradation and energy dissipation
capacity. Zhang et al. (2011) studied the influence of cotton stalk
fibres of various lengths and contents on gypsum composites and
found that the optimum cotton fibre length and content were 9–15 mm
and 2%, respectively. Vasconcelos et al. (2013) used two groups of
textile fibres (synthetic and natural fibres) to reinforce a gypsum–
cork composite material and conducted compression and flexural
experiments to evaluate and compare the mechanical behaviour of the
composite materials. Gencel et al. (2014) investigated the properties of
gypsum composites containing vermiculite and polypropylene fibres.
Their results revealed that unit weights of the gypsum composites
hinged on the concentrations of vermiculite and fibres in the mixture.
They also found that polypropylene fibres increased the compressive
strength while vermiculite decreased both the strength and thermal
conductivity of the composites.

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Engineering Sustainability Flexural properties of composite gypsum
partition panel
Aghaee, Yazdi and Yang

This paper reports an experimental study on the flexural behaviour

of gypsum panels including waste textile fibres confined with
glass fibre mesh (GFM) as a central core. It is suggested that such
a composite material could be used for non-structural interior
partitions. The question of whether using waste textile fibres
confined with GFMs as a central core in gypsum provides an
advantage or drawback is also discussed.

2. Experimental programme
2.1 Materials
2.1.1 Gypsum
Gypsum with aggregate passing a no. 20 sieve and initial and
final setting times of 7 min and 21 min respectively was used. The
gypsum had a compressive strength of 8–10 MPa, a tensile strength
of 3·5–4·0 MPa and a density of 1100 kg/m3.

2.1.2 Textile waste fibres

With increasing growth of the textile industry and the importance
of the role of textile products in people’s lives, huge amounts of
waste textile materials are produced every year. In fact, the amount
of textile wastes has been rated as third highest after plastics (a) (b)
and cardboard wastes (Aghaee and Foroughi, 2012, 2013). This
investigation employed cotton waste fibres of length 10 ± 5 mm and Figure 1. Types of GFM used for the confinement of waste cotton
specific gravity of 1·54. These waste fibres, classified as natural fibres: (a) GFM45; (b) GFM75
plant fibres, are of poor quality and are produced at the initial
production stages in textile factories.

2.1.3 Glass fibre mesh

Two types of GFM were used for confinement of the waste cotton
fibres. Figure 1 shows the GFMs and Figure 2 shows the textile fibre
core. The meshes were called GFM45 and GFM75, with the numbers
after the first three letters indicating the weight of the mesh (in g/m2).
The aperture size was approximately 1 mm × 1 mm for GFM45 and
4 mm × 4 mm for GFM75. Such meshes are used to strengthen plaster
01 2 3 45
and concrete walls, floorings and roofs. They delay the initiation and cm

propagation of cracks in concrete and thus improve the mechanical

properties of strengthened structures. Table 1 lists further details of
the GFMs (Aghaee and Foroughi, 2012, 2013). Figure 2. Textile fibre core (dimensions 60 mm × 60 mm × 400 mm)

2.2 Mixing and sample preparation

All the gypsum specimens were prepared by volumetric mixing of
plaster gypsum and water (Table 2). Five different types of prismatic
gypsum specimen were examined in this study (FCG545, FCG645,
FCG575, FCG675 and plain). As before, the last two numbers in the
specimen name (45 or 75) indicate the weight of 1 m2 of mesh (in g)
while the first number after FCG (5 or 6) represents the dimensions
of the fibre cores (50 mm × 50 mm or 60 mm × 60 mm) of constant
length 400 mm.
Preparation of the flexural specimens with a central fibre core
was as follows. First, a layer of gypsum of thickness 20 mm or
25 mm (depending on the dimensions of the fibre core) was placed
in a mould. The fibre core was then very accurately placed in the
centre of the mould while gypsum was filled around it. Finally, the
upper part of the mould was filled with gypsum. Figure 3 shows a
schematic illustration of the FCG specimens and components. After
preparation, all the specimens were placed in laboratory conditions of
relative humidity 50% and temperature 20°C (Padevět et al., 2011).
2.3 Test method
A total of 30 prismatic and cubic gypsum specimens were prepared
for flexural and compression tests respectively. From each mix
batch, five samples were tested at age 90 d.
Five cubic plain gypsum specimens (50 mm × 50 mm × 50 mm)
were subjected to compression tests to obtain the compressive
strength of the gypsum mortar in compliance with ASTM C472-
99 (ASTM, 2009; CEN, 2008). Tests were performed using a

2
Engineering Sustainability Flexural properties of composite gypsum
partition panel
Aghaee, Yazdi and Yang

Density: Tensile strength:

Yarn: tex counts/25 mm N/5 cm × 20 m Treated

Warp Weft Warp Weft Warp Weft Woven mass

GFM45 66 66 10 10 >700 >700 45
GFM75 132 132 6 6 >700 >700 75

Table 1. Properties of GFMs

Volume ratio Volume ratio Dimensions of

Specimen of gypsum of water fibre core: mm Type of mesh

Plain 2 1 No fibre core —

FCG 545 2 1 50 × 50 × 400 45g
FCG 645 2 1 60 × 60 × 400 45g
FCG 575 2 1 50 × 50 × 400 75g
FCG 675 2 1 60 × 60 × 400 75g

Table 2. Mix design and properties of specimens

Gypsum machine of 1000 kN loading capacity was employed for flexural

GFM testing. The specimens were supported on two rollers with a span
length of 350 mm and a transverse point load was applied at mid-
Cotton waste span. The loading and mid-point displacements of the specimens
fibres were recorded during the experiment. The increasing rate of mid-
span deflection was adjusted to 0·1 mm/min. After the tests, the
load–deflection curves were plotted and first-crack strength, first-
GFM crack deflection and absorbed energy were calculated.
Gypsum
3. Results and discussion
Gypsum The compressive strength of cubic specimens of the gypsum mortar
employed in all specimens was 8·5 MPa. Figures 4 and 5 show the
flexural specimens with and without a fibre core after three-point
bending tests respectively. The figures clearly show that the samples
GFM without a fibre core failed in a brittle manner, while those with a fibre
Cotton waste core failed softly. The plain specimens collapsed immediately after
fibres the first crack. With failure occurring as the first crack was observed,
GFM the ductility of these samples was very low. In contrast, the FCG
specimens withstood load after the first crack with higher values of
deflection, thus exhibiting high ductility characteristics.
Gypsum
Figures 6 and 7 show the load–deflection curves of the reinforced
and plain gypsum specimens. The figures show that the flexural
Figure 3. 2D and 3D illustrations of FCG specimens
behaviour of the bending specimens can be classified into two
distinct types.
digital automatic test machine and a loading rate of 100 kg/s. The
compressive strength of the gypsum specimens was obtained by The flexural behaviour of the plain gypsum samples was completely
dividing the maximum load attained by the total cross-sectional linear (elastic) without showing any plastic behaviour. These
area of the specimens. samples failed in a brittle manner once the peak load was reached,
breaking into two pieces suddenly (see Figure 5).
A total of 25 prismatic specimens (100 mm × 100 mm × 500 mm)
were subjected to three-point bending tests in accordance with The FCG samples showed a second type of behaviour, where the
ASTM C473-12 (ASTM, 2012; CEN, 2009). A universal test first peak was followed by a drop in load and then the second

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Engineering Sustainability
Figure 4. Specimen FCG545 after three-point bending test
peak continued up to ultimate failure. These specimens displayed
elastic–plastic behaviour and high ductility, demonstrating the
role of the fibre core and the good bond between the GFMs and
the gypsum. In these samples, the fibre cores bridged across the
cracked section, arresting crack propagation and leading to ductile
failure.
Figure 6 also shows that the amount of load that the specimen
can bear is decreased dramatically by increasing the dimension of
textile waste core. This could be due to the decreased gypsum cover
around the central core.
Table 3 lists the values of first-crack strength, first-crack deflection
and absolute toughness of the test specimens. The values of first-
crack strength and first-crack deflection represent the flexural
behaviour of specimens up to the first crack in the gypsum panel.
Table 3 shows, firstly, that the first-crack strength of the specimens
did not improve significantly with use of these types of fibre cores
and, secondly, the first-crack strength decreased with an increase
in size of the fibre core: the first-crack strengths of FCG645 and
FCG675 decreased by about 25% and 28% respectively compared
with FCG545 and FCG575. The greatest first-crack strength was
for FCG545, which was 4% higher than that of the plain gypsum
specimen. Furthermore, the first-crack deflection of the specimens
4
Flexural properties of composite gypsum
partition panel
Aghaee, Yazdi and Yang
Figure 5. Plain specimen after three-point bending test
was not much affected by the fibre core and the plain specimen
achieved the highest value.
The absolute toughness (or amount of absorbed energy) indicates
the ability of a specimen to transfer stresses across a cracked
section and this can be considered as its energy absorption capacity.
This characteristic is assessed by estimating the total area under
the load–deflection curve up to ultimate failure. Figure 8 shows
that the absolute toughness achieved by the FCG specimens was
generally higher than that of the plain gypsum specimen, and this
promotion in the amount of absorbed energy is illustrated by the
greater bending ability of the FCGs. The difference in the amount
of absorbed energy between FCGs and plain specimens is by virtue
of the fibre core in the central part of the gypsum specimens. The
warps of the GFMs in the FCG specimens were placed in the same
direction as the tensile forces, and thus higher resistance against
deflection and the propagation of macro-cracks was obtained
through transferring forces in the gypsum matrix.
As shown in Table 3 and Figure 8, all but one of the FCG specimens
(FCG645) absorbed more energy than the plain specimen. FCG675
showed the highest amount of energy absorption. On average, this
was equal to 1184 kg.mm, about 30% greater than that of the plain
gypsum specimen.
 Engineering Sustainability Flexural properties of composite gypsum
partition panel
Aghaee, Yazdi and Yang

1200
Plain First-crack First-crack Absolute
FCG645 strength: deflection: toughness:
FCG545
1000 Specimen MPa mm kg.mm

Plain 3·63 1·18 (0·18) 825·57

800
(3·57) (102·7)
FCG545 3·78 1·15 (0·10) 836·04
Load: kgf

600 (0·32) (165·6)

FCG645 2·85 0·86 (0·25) 676·94
(0·23) (61·3)
400
FCG575 3·12 1·00 1129·38
(0·06) (0·014) (161·4)
200 FCG675 2·24 1·01 1184·10
(0·84) (0·095) (89·0)

0 Table 3. First-crack strength, first-crack deflection and absolute

0 0·5 1·0 1·5 2·0 2·5 3·0
Deflection: mm
toughness of flexural specimens; values in brackets are standard
deviations
Figure 6. Load–deflection curves of FCG545, FCG645 and plain
specimens
1400
Absorbed energy: kg.mm

1200
1200 1000
FCG675
Plain 800
FCG575
1000 600
400

800 200
0
Plain FCG545 FCG645 FCG575 FCG675
Load: kgf

600
Figure 8. Average amount of absorbed energy by bending
samples
400

in dimensions of the central fibre core. However, this phenomenon

200
is disparate in terms of absorbed energy.

0 Based on the experimental results, it can be concluded that using

0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Deflection: mm
a core stuffed with waste textile fibres in gypsum partition panels
mostly affects the absorbed energy of the specimens and prevents
Figure 7. Load–deflection curves of FCG575, FCG675 and plain brittle failure rather than affecting first-crack strength or first-crack
specimens deflection.

4. Conclusions
This study investigated the mechanical properties of gypsum panels
containing a core of textile waste fibres sandwiched between glass
fibre mesh. The results obtained show that incorporation of such a
core avoided the brittle behaviour found in non-reinforced gypsum
partition panels. Using this type of fibre core increased the amount
of absorbed energy of the composite gypsum specimens. The
highest values of absolute toughness (or energy absorption) were
obtained by specimens FCG575 and FCG675. It was also found that
the first-crack strength of the specimens increased with a decrease
Using textile waste materials can not only improve the mechanical
properties of gypsum panels, but also reduces requirements for
virgin materials. This research could lead to the development of
eco-friendly panels for use in non-structural partition walls in
buildings. Further experiments on full-scale composite gypsum
partitions and assessments of their sound and thermal insulation
properties are recommended.
Acknowledgement
The authors thank Mrs Lora Zare for her invaluable help in
preservation of the specimens.

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Engineering Sustainability
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