PRODUCTION OF CORRUGATED ROOFING SHEETS FROM EPOXY-BASED MATRIX REINFORCED WITH TREATED COIR FIBERS

Abstract Green roofing is a relatively new approach toward constructing environmentally friendly and sustainable roofing structures. Not only are these structures environmentally friendly, but they can be manipulated for the purposes of energy harvesting, thermal insulation or cooling while saving cost in the long run. Much like the green roof approach, this project seeks to create, for an African setting, with a case study in Ghana, a less costly alternative to durable roofing options such as roofing shingles and composite tiles. Coir fibers were chemically modified at different concentration and at different durations to establish the kinetics of potassium hydroxide (KOH) in the fibers. Pullout test confirmed the length of the fiber to be used in the composite material. Epoxy-based structures were then formed (by casting into fabricated molds) with reinforced treated coir fibers. Mechanical characterization was carried out with a universal testing machine. From the result, a composite with 10 wt% of coir proved to serve the same purpose as the roofing tiles and shingles. Thermal and optical characterizations were also investigated. The implications of the results were discussed for the production of a relatively lower cost roofing sheets.