Tensile Testing on Hemp Stems

Because of its considerable impact on the environment and in line with the increasing worldwide attention to sustainability, the building industry is consistently looking for recyclable components for civil engineering applications. Among the available natural fibres, hemp has been used in bricks, blocks, panels, plasters, coats and screeds, as well as in thermal and acoustic insulation components. The stems of the plant could be used as basic reinforcing materials for seismic retrofitting applications based on fiber-reinforced mortars. In line with these goals, in this paper the mechanical properties of whole hemp stems under tensile loading have been assessed. After having assembled a suitable anchoring system, the prepared samples have been subjected to tensile tests. The results revealed intrinsic capability of the prepared specimens to bear high tensile stresses, which legitimize a potential use of hemp stems in the construction industry by collaborating with the bearing structure.