Abstract
Cementitious composites, including ferrocement and continuous fiber reinforced cement, are increasingly considered for building construction and repair. One alternative in processing of these composites is to infiltrate the reinforcement (continuous fibers or chicken mesh) with a flowable cementitious slurry. The relatively high density of cementitious binders, when compared with polymeric binders, are a setback in efforts to introduce cementitious composites as lower-cost, fire-resistant, and durable alternatives to polymer composites. Aeration of the slurry is an effective means of reducing the density of cementitious composites. This approach, however, compromises the mechanical properties of cementitious binders. An experimental program was undertaken in order to assess the potential for production of aerated slurry with a desired balance of density, mechanical performance, and barrier qualities. The potential for nondestructive monitoring of strength development in aerated cementitious slurry was also investigated. This research produced aerated slurries with densities as low as 0.9 g/cm3 with viable mechanical and barrier qualities for production of composites. The microstructure of these composites was also investigated.
Highlights
Continuous fiber reinforced cement composites and ferrocement are examples of composites used in building construction and repair applications [1,2,3,4]
0.9 g/cm3 and 5.4 MPa compressive strength at seven days provides a viable balance of density and strength for the targeted ferro-cement application
Aerated slurry is developed as a lightweight matrix for production of cementitious composites embodying reinforcement of high specific surface area for structural applications
Summary
Continuous fiber reinforced cement composites and ferrocement are examples of composites used in building construction and repair applications [1,2,3,4]. Aeration of the slurry offers the opportunity to reduce the density of cementitious matrices. While aeration tends to compromise the strength of cementitious materials, the aerated matrices may still be able to meet the demands on their mechanical performance in the context of composites with relatively high-volume fractions of continuous reinforcement with high specific surface area. These demands are different from those placed on concrete in conventional reinforced concrete structures. The combination of aeration and reinforcement of high specific surface area and close spacing could provide desired workability attributes (e.g., ease of screw application and cutting) that would make some wood construction techniques applicable to the material
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