Abstract:
Asbestos is once considered as a miracle material for its desirable qualities in the
construction field. Later, scientists have discovered that the asbestos fiber is
carcinogenic. It is now a material which is banned to use in most of the countries.
Asbestos related products are going to be banned in Sri Lanka from 2018 onwards.
However, asbestos sheets are widely used in roofing industry in Sri Lanka which
remains among the top 12 consumers of asbestos in the world. Therefore, finding an
alternative material for asbestos is of utmost important. However, it is difficult to
find ongoing research related to the alternative products for asbestos in Sri Lanka. -
We have studied to use a composition comprised of Sorel cement (magnesium
oxide + magnesium chloride) as the base material and naturally occurring fiber, coir
(reinforced fiber), saw dust and stone powder (filling materials) as a substitute to
prepare a composite materials that can be used as an alternative for asbestos
product. Prepared composites were tested for water absorption, transverse
strength, thermal insulation and water penetration. According to our results,
minimum water absorption of prepared sheets was 5% where as in asbestos it was
19% and transverse strength was 10 Mpa. After further improvements, the
environmental friendly composite materials can be used as a substitute for asbestos
in construction industries in Sri Lanka.
