Abstract
This is an experimental study showing the effect of four types of polymers (acrylate polymer (AC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR), and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA)) on the mechanical properties of polymer-modified cement mortars (PCMs). One polymer dosage was used in this study (3%), and the effect of this dosage on PCMs was compared with a control mortar mix with 0% polymer. The compressive, flexural, and pull-off bond strengths were measured and compared with previous results in works of literature. The effect of polymer addition on improving the mechanical properties of PCMs was clarified, and this effect was more obvious on the flexural strength than that on the compressive strength. The PCMs containing EVA showed the best performance, with up to 33% and 63% increases in compressive and flexural strengths after 28 days, respectively. In comparison, AC, PVA, and SBR produced smaller (16%–46% compared to control) improvements in the flexural strength after 28 days. In general, PCMs containing EVA showed the best mechanical properties.
Highlights
It is known that adding a polymeric compound to a cementitious material can improve the material properties such as strength, durability, and interfacial bond between the newly applied material and the existing substrate [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]
The polymer-modified cement mortars (PCMs) containing ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) showed the highest compressive strength at 28 days and was approximately 33% higher than that of the control specimen
The compressive strength of the PCM containing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was 48.9 MPa, and this value was quite similar to the previous result of 48.7 MPa reported by Kim et al [15]
Summary
It is known that adding a polymeric compound to a cementitious material can improve the material properties such as strength, durability, and interfacial bond between the newly applied material and the existing substrate [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]. Many experimental studies were conducted to investigate the effect of different polymer types on the mechanical properties and durability of polymer-modified cement mortars (PCMs) [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. Doğan and Bideci [1] studied the effects of different SBR replacement ratios (by weight) on the concrete strength measured at three, seven, and 28 days. They reported that the 1% replacement showed a higher strength compared to the 3%, 5%, and 8% replacements. Doğan and Bideci [1] confirmed a significant reduction in the measured strength of the sample with 8% SBR replacement
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
