Fabrication and mechanical properties of waste wood chips/cements composites for paving materials

Abstract In this article, cement-based wood composites (CWC) were prepared by the hydrostatic method using waste wood chips as filler material and cement mortar as the binder. The effects of wood content, wood particle size, and wood modification method on flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, and toughness were experimentally investigated. The results showed that the flexural toughness of the specimens became more pronounced with the increasing wood content and particle size, and the maximum value was 0.742. The flexural toughness of the samples reached the maximum value at 30% wood content after the wood was modified by NaOH and silane coupling agent. The changes in flexural strength and elastic modulus of the specimens were consistent, and both decreased with the increase in wood content. A positive correlation between the flexural strength of the samples and the wood particle size was observed. About 30% wood content, 5.0–10.0 mm wood particle size, and NaOH modification are recommended to prepare the composites. This research can open new avenues for the research and promotion of CWC paving materials.