Experimental investigation of thermal enhancement exhibited by bamboo fibre substitution in briquette mortar

The current state of the construction industry indicates that energy consumption remains notably high, primarily driven by factors such as population growth, the necessity for housing, heating, cooling, and electricity. Consequently, ongoing research endeavours aim to mitigate this high energy demand, particularly within the building sector, which currently contributes to 40% of total energy consumption. The focal point of these efforts is to curtail energy requirements, particularly for heating, cooling, and electricity, by impeding heat transfer within buildings, thereby potentially reducing overall energy consumption. As such, research is directed towards imbuing buildings with characteristics such as energy efficiency, naturalness, environmental friendliness, high productivity, and recyclability. In this context, the study explores leveraging the inherent fibrous structure of bamboo, integrating it into briquettes with a 6% weight ratio during casting to enhance thermal resistance. The objective is to demonstrate the thermal resistance improvement achieved by the 6% bamboo substitution, presenting an environmentally friendly approach to energy conservation. Following the casting process, the study employs the co-heating test principle in a hot box setup in order to assess the overall heat transfer coefficient. By analysing data from heat flux sensors positioned on the sample surface, the total heat transfer coefficient is determined. In addition, a standard briquette sample serves as a reference point for proving as well as measuring reduction rates. Consequently, the study underscores the substantial potential of achieving a 5% increase in thermal resistance with just a 6% bamboo substitution (the value of overall heat transfer coefficient is achieved to be mitigated from 5.5 W/m2K to 2.77 W/m2K), thereby offering promising insights for integrating such approaches into future building construction practices.