Mechanical properties of reinforced polymer concrete with three types of resin systems

Abstract

The mechanical properties of polymer concrete (PC) with three types of resin systems were investigated. First, the effect of 0.5 wt% to 3 wt% basalt fibre on the mechanical properties of a quaternary epoxy-based PC was investigated experimentally and the best weight percentage of basalt fibre was obtained. The results showed that adding basalt fibre to the PC caused an enhancement of 10% in compressive strength, 10% in flexural strength, 35% in the splitting tensile strength and 315% in impact strength. In the next step, the effect of nanoclay particles on the mechanical properties of basalt-fibre-reinforced PC was analysed experimentally. Nanoclays increased the compressive strength up to 7%, flexural strength up to 27% and impact strength up to 260% but decreased the tensile strength of the PC. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy was performed to study the fracture surface and morphology of various concrete specimens. In the last step, the effect of two different resin systems (rigid polyurethane and rigid polyurethane foam) on the mechanical properties of the reinforced PC was investigated. The epoxy PC was found to have a higher specific strength than the polyurethane and ultra-lightweight polyurethane foam PC.