B. Fibre reinforced composites

45. Fibre reinforced cement roof sheets (Zimbabwe). In Zimbabwe a production unit for the production of sisal-reinforced concrete roof sheets was set up. Chopped sisal is added to a 3.2 ratio of cement and sand at 1.25 per cent of the total weight.

The production unit which is set up at the Seke International Red Cross Camp is supplied with chop fibres by women. With one moulding table, 24 sheet moulds and four curing racks, production by four men is estimated at ten sheets per day.

The sisal-cement roofing sheets are marketed at 60 per cent of the price of asbestos roof sheets. The sale price per 2 metre sheet is 2.5 Zimbabwean dollars³⁶ of which 45 per cent represents the cost of raw materials and 55 per cent a return for labour, capital outlay and profit. Costs could be lowered in the rural areas where sand and sisal can be obtained at less expense.

The total cost of the project was 371.81 Zimbabwean dollars. Technical assistance was obtained from the United Kingdom Intermediate Technology Building Materials Workshop.

The sisal-reinforced concrete sheets have been widely used in the area and their demand considerably exceeds supply.³⁷