Development of a sustainable and cost-optimized cementitious composites incorporating local resources and jute fibre

This study aimed to develop a cost-optimized Jute Fibre-Reinforced Cementitious Composites (JFRCCs) utilizing regionally sourced materials, including ordinary Portland cement, fine sand, jute fibre, superplasticizer, and by-products such as fly ash. A Full Factorial Design (2⁴) was employed to investigate four critical mixing parameters: water-to-binder proportion (W/B: 0.26–0.29), fly ash-to-cement proportion (FA/C: 1.2–2.0), sand-to-binder proportion (S/B: 0.3–0.5), and jute fibre content (0.5–1.0 % by volume), with parameter bounds established through preliminary experimental analysis. Thus, sixteen unique mixtures were formulated following a 2⁴ factorial framework, and key mechanical performance metrics–28-day compressive strength (f’_c), strain at peak compressive stress, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), splitting tensile strength (f_st), and material cost—were evaluated. The optimized JFRCCs complied with the minimum structural requirements for residential concrete specified in ACI 318–19. However, carbon footprint quantification across material production, transportation, and mixing phases revealed CO₂ emissions ranging from 458 to 668 kg/m³, underscoring the necessity for emission reduction strategies in sustainable mix design. Statistical analysis via response surface methodology yielded adjusted coefficients of determination (R²_adj) of 88.92 %, 75.53 %, 96.47 %, 94.82 %, and 100.00 % for compressive strength, strain, UPV, splitting tensile strength, and cost models, respectively, validated through ANOVA (p < 0.05) except for strain variability. Parametric sensitivity analysis elucidated the influence of individual factors on mechanical performances and cost-efficiency, while multi-objective desirability optimization identified an optimal mix ratio (W/B = 0.26, FA/C = 1.68, S/B = 0.50, jute content = 0.63 %) with a desirability value of 0.9614. This formulation achieved a balance between target mechanical properties (35 MPa compressive strength, 4 MPa splitting tensile strength) and cost-effectiveness, while maximizing strain capacity and UPV.