Study on the tensile and flexural mechanical properties of TRE in freezing-thawing environments

Abstract

Through tensile and four-point bending experiments, the effects of different freezing-thawing environments, freezing-thawing cycles, textile layers and types, textile surface treatment, and PVA fibre content on the tensile and bending mechanical properties of TRE were studied in freezing-thawing environments. The test results show that under the action of freezing-thawing cycles, the mechanical properties of the TRE specimens in sulfate-chloride solutions were significantly reduced. With the number of freezing-thawing cycles increases, the tensile and flexural mechanical properties of the TRE specimens presented a notable decreasing trend. The ultimate tensile stress and ultimate bending load of the double-layer textile TRE specimens were higher than those of the single-layer textile TRE specimens, but the ultimate tensile strain and ultimate mid-span deflection were decreased. Compared with carbon-glass textile-reinforced TRE specimens, the tensile and bending mechanical properties of the TRE specimens reinforced with basalt-glass textile were significantly reduced. The ultimate tensile stress and flexural load of the TRE specimens impregnated by epoxy resin and covered with sand decreased, while the ultimate tensile stress and ultimate mid-span deflection increased. When the PVA fibre content was increased from 1.0% to 2.0%, the tensile and flexural mechanical properties of the TRE specimens were also improved.