Abstract
The increasing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly construction materials has prompted the exploration of natural fibers as reinforcement in cement composites. This study investigates the potential of goat hair as a natural fiber reinforcement in lightweight cement composites to enhance mechanical properties and sustainability. The research evaluates goat-hair-reinforced composites’ flexural and compressive strengths at 7 and 28 days after mixing. The results show that the inclusion of goat hair at a rate of 0.4% of cement, as a reinforcing material, leads to a significant increase in flexural and compressive strength. Specifically, flexural strength increased by 2.5% and 21.8%, while compressive strength improved by 5.5% and 21.5% at water-to-cement ratios of 0.4 and 0.5, respectively, compared to the control mixture. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of goat hair in improving mechanical performance while reducing the environmental footprint of construction materials. This study highlights the need for further exploration of natural fibers in sustainable construction practices, focusing on optimizing mechanical performance and eco-friendly materials for broader applications.