Critical Review of the Characterization of Environmental and Mechanical Properties of Hemp Hurd and Hempcrete
Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a promising bio-based building material that can be used as an alternative aggregate in the form of hemp-lime or hempcrete. Whereas hempcrete has been successfully used in construction in Europe, it has not been allowed to grow in the U.S because industrial hemp was classified as a Schedule I drug in the early 20th century. Recently, however, the cultivation of industrial hemp has been newly reinstated in the U.S., and there has been a growing interest in using hemp hurd in residential construction. Hemp hurd is promoted to provide better thermal insulation and hygroscopic performances, i.e., absorbing moisture during higher relative humidity seasons and giving out moisture during drier seasons. Existing literature concerning such characteristics of hemp-lime or hempcrete mostly involves hemp products made in Europe. To quantify the thermal and hygroscopic properties of hemp hurd, hemp-lime, and hempcrete based on hemp grown and produced in the United States, we should establish appropriate test protocols and standards. To that end, this paper aims to review existing studies, test protocols, and standards on the characterization of thermal and hygroscopic properties of hemp hurd. On the other hand, the use of hemp-lime or hempcrete is limited to non-load-bearing elements. However, we believe that it is possible to improve the load-bearing capacity of hemp-lime or hempcrete materials. Characterization of mechanical properties of hemp hurd will contribute to the effort to understand the load-bearing capacity of hemp-lime or hempcrete. This paper will review studies and existing standards of the mechanical properties of bio-based aggregate from the standpoint of the structural material.
Proceedings of the 6th Residential Building Design and Construction Conference
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Work Title | Critical Review of the Characterization of Environmental and Mechanical Properties of Hemp Hurd and Hempcrete |
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License | In Copyright (Rights Reserved) |
Work Type | Conference Proceeding |
Publication Date | March 1, 2022 |
Deposited | March 22, 2024 |
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