www.ccsenet.org/mas Modern Applied Science Vol. 4, No. 7; July 2010 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 119 Comparison Study on Oil Palm Trunk and Oil Palm Fruit Bunch Fibre Reinforced Laterite Bricks Noorsaidi Mahat (Corresponding author) Department of Building, Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia Universiti Teknologi MARA, Jalan Meranek, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia Tel: 60-8-267-710 E-mail: noorsaidi@sarawak.uitm.edu.my Zaiton Yaacob, Nadia Fatihah Mastan, Ahmad Faiz Abd Rashid, Zainab Zainordin, Mohamad Rohaidzat Mohamed Rashid, Husrul Nizam Husin, Natasha Khalil, Mohamat Najib Mat Noor, Wan Faizal Iskandar Wan Abdullah, Nurul Asra Abd Rahman & Suryani Ahmad Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia Abstract The main aim of this study was to compare the physical properties and mechanical properties of Oil Palm Trunk (OPT) fibre and Oil Palm Fruit Bunches (OPFB) fibre reinforced laterite bricks. For comparison purposes, the properties such as dimension, density, water absorption and the compressive strength of both types of bricks were determined. The effects of the incorporation of various amounts of fibres on the above properties were analysed. The tests were carried out according to BS 3921: 1985 for clay bricks.The samples were pressed at the factory Majpadu Bricks Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia and tested at the Material Testing Laboratory, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia.The findings of this research were, firstly, the dimension of bricks content with OPFB fibres were less accurate than bricks with OPT fibres. Secondly, the density of bricks with OPFB fibres was higher than the density of bricks with OPT fibres. Thirdly, in compressive strength of the bricks with OPFB fibres was higher than bricks with OPT fibres, with the maximum fibre content identified as 3 percent fibres. Finally, the water absorption of bricks with OPFB fibres was lower than the water absorption of bricks with OPT fibres. It can be concluded that the bricks with OPFB fibres had better physical and mechanical properties than bricks with OPT fibres. OPFB fibres is better for reinforcement in the laterite bricks and properties of the bricks with OPT Fibres were to be improved. Keywords: Natural fibres, Oil palm trunk fibre, Oil palm fruit bunch fibre, Laterite bricks 1. Introduction Generally, oil palm is the most important agricultural and commercial plantation crop in Malaysia. Oil palm which better characteristics that people recognized as 'tree of life' because all part such as fruits, trunks, leaves and can be effectively utilized for living. In order which utilities of the palm oil residue is better to added to make the value product, two of the utilities were chosen for study, it was Oil Palm Trunk fibre and Oil Palm Fruit Bunch fibre. This research is In order to determine which fibre is better for reinforcement, the bricks have to be pressed from the same source of raw materials and testing in the same period.Natural fibres, as a substitute for glass fibres in composite components, have gained interest in the last decade, especially in the housing sector. Fibres like jute, sisal, coconut fibre (coir), ramie, banana, flax, hemp etc. are cheap and have better stiffness per unit weight and also have a lower impact on the environment. Structural applications are rare since existing production techniques are not applicable for such natural fibre concrete products and non-availability of semi-finished materials with adequate quality. An experiment carried out by Corson at the Building Research Station, United Kingdom, on sisal fibre reinforced concrete. Noticed that an addition of sisal fibres in concrete increased the need of water in the matrix. The cement reactions were distributed by substances, which were dissolved from sisal fibre (Zonsveld, 1984). In Brazil discovered that vegetable fibres have been used for reinforcement in many types Of mortar and concretes. For instance, building component was developed with coir and sisal fibres, and also incipient research work was done with jute, sugar-cane baggage and bamboo fibres (Agopyan, 1988). The research carried out by Saleh A.M