The use of new materials for thermal comfort is becoming more and more a priority in the construction of comfortable and economical homes. It is in this context that, in our previous work, we developed bricks based on Iroko wood flour compressed and stabilized with recycled High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) resin. There are six samples with respective contents of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60%. This article aims to present an experimental study followed by a simulation using the Cast3M calculation code of their thermal behavior. To do this, we first determined their thermophysical properties which are thermal conductivity, specific heat and thermal diffusivity. Then, after a study of the depth of heat diffusion in the different samples, we moved on to the simulation phase. It focused on the analysis of the effects of the HDPE rate, the thickness of the bricks and the air temperature. As results, the values ​​of thermal conductivity, specific heat and thermal diffusivity, for all the composites, vary respectively from 0.310 to 0.365 W.m-1.K-1, from 2.691 to 2.460 kJ.kg-1.K-1 and from 1.662 to 1.981.10-7m2.s-1. Thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and diffusion depth increase with increasing HDPE content; while the specific heat decreases. It also appears that for the temperature of 45°C imposed for a thickness greater than 2.7 cm, it is necessary to wait a time greater than at least 22 hours to reach a stationary state on the opposite side. From all of the above, it could be affirmed that the elaborate bricks have intrinsic capacities to be used in the construction of thermally comfortable habitats in local temperature conditions such as those of the Ivory Coast.

We have developed a composite material based on cassava starch reinforced with coconut mesocarp fibers which has given convincing mechanical, physical and chemical properties. The objective of this work is to analyze its elastic damageable behavior. For this, we made an analytical study followed by simulations with finite element method under the Cast3M calculation code. It appears that before displacements in the vicinity of 0.51 mm, the composite, although presenting cracks, does not reach a state of total rupture. In addition, local fractures are observed from 0.52 mm in displacement. The comparison of the two methods shows a very high agreement of the values obtained. This thus confirms the results on the behavior of this material in our previous work. This composite can be used in certain areas such as packaging.

The physical reality is often very complicated to be able to analytically solve mechanical problems. Currently, the only approaches making it possible to meet these needs are based on numerical methods based on the discretization of the problems. In mechanical and civil engineering, significant efforts are currently focused on the use of numerical simulations to solve these problems. This work is a comparative approach focusing on the analytical method to solve the problem of the bending of a beam and a numerical approach based on simulation by the Cast3M calculation code. The results obtained are of great agreement.