{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,3]],"date-time":"2026-02-03T00:13:47Z","timestamp":1770077627464,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]],"date-time":"2026-02-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769990400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Madrid Government","award":["DOCTORES-EMERGENTES-24-NZMO4U-16-3U7Z8W"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DOCTORES-EMERGENTES-24-NZMO4U-16-3U7Z8W"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Applied Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Gypsum is a widely used building material because of its good non-structural performance and low cost. However, when exposed to moisture and other harsh environments, it may lose its strength. In this study, gypsum composites (GCs) reinforced with recycled polyethylene (PE) fibers from bird nets (BNs) were developed, exposed to wet\u2013dry cycles and fire, and then mechanically tested to verify the influence of these exposures on their properties. The main highlights include: at 40% replacement of gypsum with BN fibers, surface hardness increased by 5%, and with a fiber content of 10%, the compressive strength showed a slight increase of 3%, and flexural strength decreased by only 9%. The 10 wet\u2013dry cycles did not have much influence on the mechanical performance, unlike exposure to fire, which drastically reduced it. Moreover, open porosity was reduced by 19% and total water absorption by 17% with 40% BN fiber content, making them suitable as additives in GCs for application in humid environments.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/app16031489","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]],"date-time":"2026-02-02T12:00:47Z","timestamp":1770033647000},"page":"1489","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Durability and Fire Performance of Gypsum Composites Reinforced with Recycled Polyethylene Fibers"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-5650-2418","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Leonardo","family":"Lima","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, ISISE, ARISE, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Prefecture of University Campus, Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus 69067-005, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-7799-9740","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alicia","family":"Zaragoza-Benzal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Tecnolog\u00eda de la Edificaci\u00f3n, Universidad Polit\u00e9cnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3842-547X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniel","family":"Ferr\u00e1ndez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Tecnolog\u00eda de la Edificaci\u00f3n, Universidad Polit\u00e9cnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0006-4595","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Evangelina","family":"Atanes-S\u00e1nchez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Ingenier\u00eda Qu\u00edmica, Universidad Polit\u00e9cnica de Madrid, 28012 Madrid, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0134-6762","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paulo","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, ISISE, ARISE, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139285","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2024.139285","article-title":"Fiber-reinforced gypsum composites with ultra high ductility: Investigation of physical and mechanical properties","volume":"457","author":"Xu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Constr. 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