Effects of perlite in the physical and mechanical properties of coco-silica fiber cement board/ Ma. Angelica Mae B. Araza, Mhari Kristina Bernadette P. Benavides, Patricia Collette T. Factora, Jasmine Rose P. Paloma, and Aien Cole B. Palomo.--

Bachelor's thesis

College of Industrial Technology.-- Bachelor of engineering technology major in construction technology: Technological University of the Philippines, 2025.

Includes bibliographic references and index.

Perlite, a lightweight volcanic rock with excellent thermal insulation, soundproofing, and

fire resistance, is a promising additive for improving the strength and flexibility of cement-
bonded boards, which are typically heavy and prone to cracking. Researchers developed 12

mix designs with cement-to-raw material ratios of 30:70, 40:60, 50:50, and 60:40. These
mixes included varying proportions of perlite, coconut coir fiber, and silica sand (5:9:86,
10:9:81, and 15:9:76) combined with Portland cement and a water-cement ratio of 0.6,
targeting a density of 0.8 g/cc. The boards underwent Apparent Density, Modulus of
Rupture, and Nail-head pull-through testing based on the Philippine National Standard ISO

8336:2022 for fiber-cement flat sheets. Among 12 mix designs tested, the 50:50 cement-to-
raw material ratio with a 10:9:81 blend achieved the best compactness (- 1.29 variation).

Mixes M1 (40:60) and M2 (50:50) with a 5:9:86 ratio exceeded MOR standards (4.39 MPa
and 4.82 MPa). Mix M4 (30:70, 10:9:81 ratio) performed poorly, with 0.66MPa MOR and
low NHPT resistance (290.93N). The 5:9:86 ratio demonstrated superior moisture
management and structural integrity. Prototype evaluation scored 4.00 overall, deemed
"Very Acceptable" for aesthetics, durability, safety, and marketability. Perlite was strongly
supported as a key additive for Coco Coir fiber cement boards.