– In collaboration with Ulrike Passe and CBER.

Expressing the properties of cellulose, through orientation or layering, yields composites that can resist thermal fluctuation. Based on the inherent thermal properties of cellulose (Gibson 2012), this study dealt with embedding bio-fibers in concrete, creating a thermally efficient composite assembly. Additionally, the goal is to utilize region specific bio-fibers when creating wall panels as it holds implications for the energy economy, and material vernacular.

In addition to using cellulose as a reinforcement replacement in concrete for non-integral uses. Using cellulose in an assembly and as a hybrid composite can lead to thinner composite panels with desired thermal resistance. This material composite with optimized mix proportions can lead to reduced concrete and material consumption.

The first goal was to test the performance of a standard concrete panel assembly, with thermal data compared to the performance of future cellulose-based composite panels. This data would be used to create a framework where various composites could be measured against baseline data for cellulose based concrete assemblies.The mobile diagnostics lab was utilized for the duration of the experiment. Data was generated from custom concrete panels inserted into the removable wall assembly to create a baseline with which to compare the cellulose concrete panels.