Construction Of Composite Materials Research Articles

Исследование технологических характеристик элемента трубошпунтовой завесы и самозабуриваемых анкеров из полимерных композиционных материалов

The use of high-tech polymer composite materials in construction makes it possible to carry out work under the constraints of transport infrastructure, limited space at a construction site, or in difficult operating conditions. The paper presents the results of studies of the technological characteristics of a pipe-and-pile curtain element made of carbon fiber and fiberglass, a self-drilling anchor made of fiberglass and steel used in modern construction

A Brief Analysis of The Production of Building Materials Utilizing Waste-Based Reinforcements and Recycled Textiles

The utilization of composite materials in construction has recently exerted a significant impact on society, particularly concerning ecological responsibility and environmental considerations. On a daily basis, proposals advocating the use of emerging materials crafted from discarded or repurposed items are put forth to transcend the limitations posed by conventional resources. One notable aspect of this movement revolves around textile components, encompassing fibres such as wool, cotton, cannabis, and flax. Over the past decade, there has been a heightened focus on worn clothing, as it represents an unprocessed product that holds both commercial viability and ecological benefits. Approximately 1.5 percent of the global waste generated daily comprises textile scraps, with blue jeans, crafted from cotton, standing out as the most prevalent type of apparel worldwide. Textile scraps find new life through recycling, serving various purposes such as the creation of electrical wires, the production of pulverized substances for temperature and acoustic insulation materials, and the incorporation as filler or reinforcement in concrete construction. This paper delves into multiple themes, covering (i) the adverse environmental impacts stemming from the extensive use of clothing; (ii) the recycling and reclamation of textile waste; and (iii) the utilization of waste and reclaimed materials from textiles as building components.

Low binder content bricks: a regolith-based solution for sustainable surface construction on the Moon

This work proposes a composite construction material made by a blend of lunar regolith and thermoplastic binders in dry powder form. This solution offers advantages over regolith sintering or melting by requiring lower power consumption and simplifying the manufacturing process. However, its sustainability depends on minimizing the content of the binder material. Drawing from validated concepts used on Earth, such as polymeric concrete and compressed Earth bricks, this paper suggests that binder optimization can be achieved by simplifying and streamlining the manufacturing process, targeting parts with predefined shapes. Standardized elements like bricks or tiles ease production and assembly automation, especially when incorporating interlocking features, simplifying the payload concept transition. After drafting the process with a minimum number of basic steps, this work studies the effects of some process parameters to minimize the weight percentage of the matrix while maintaining reasonable mechanical properties. The compressive and the flexural strength are the targets of an orthogonal array Design of Experiment. Through comparison with reference values for civil engineering, the process demonstrates promising results within an organic phase as low as 10 wt%.

Development of an effective technology for producing composite wood-plastic board materials for construction and furniture purposes

This article presents the results of research in the development of an effective technology for obtaining composite wood-plastic board materials for construction and furniture purposes based on fillers from cotton stalks, which are agricultural waste, and polymer binders based on modified urea-formaldehyde and gossypol resins, epichlorohydrin, benzyl chloride, and polyvinyl chloride. The study revealed a correlation between the ultimate bending strength, tensile strength and water absorption with the parameters of pressing polymer-fillers of the mass. At the same time, to obtain composite wood-plastic board materials, it is recommended to use a urea-formaldehyde resin modified with reactive structuring additives as a binder. It has been established that the optimal technological mode for pressing the mass of polymer fillers and cotton stalks is: specific pressure 35 kg/m², pressing temperature 168-170°C, heating duration 7-10 minutes. Key words: technology, composition, modified urea-formaldehyde resin, cotton stem filler, wood-plastic board, specific pressure, pressing temperature, heating duration, water absorption, tensile strength.

PROPERTIES INVESTIGATION OF POLYESTER RESIN COMPOSITE MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS

The use of composite materials in construction is a promising direction due to their potential to reduce costs and improve the operational characteristics of building structures. The results of this study will allow to determine the optimal formulations and manufacturing technologies of polymer composite materials for use in construction. In this paper, a detailed analysis of the composite material based on polyester resin (polymer sand concrete) used for the manufacture of hatch covers for manholes in water supply and sewage systems is carried out. The main components of the considered composition are quartz sand, unsaturated polyester resin, hardening accelerator - cobalt naphthenate solution and hardener - benzoyl peroxide. As part of the study, the improvement of the composite material’s properties is also considered by adjusting the technological modes of formation. Special attention was paid to the analysis of the hardness of the samples after the research, since this parameter determines the resistance of the material to wear. The effect of different ratios of these components on the physical and mechanical properties of the final material was studied. It was experimentally determined how the consumption of polyester and hardener affects the compressive strength, bending strength, impact toughness and hardness of the composite material. To obtain optimal characteristics, the STATISTICA 12 software package was used to specify the values of the factors that lead to maximum compressive and bending strength. The results of the research are presented in the conclusions in the form of quantitative indicators that indicate the optimal composition to achieve high physical and mechanical characteristics. The response surfaces of the variation factors’ influence on the properties of interest are shown. Keywords: composite material, polymer sand concrete, quartz sand, polyester resin, hardening accelerator - cobalt naphthenate solution and hardener - benzoyl peroxide

Bibliometric Analysis of Bio- and Earth-Based Building Materials: Current and Future Trends

The energy and environmental transition in the building sector requires the development and use of low-impact materials. Despite the growing interest in bio-based and earth-based building materials, their widespread adoption is still limited due to a lack of hindsight, as their study is relatively recent. This study aims to contribute to the development of these materials by providing an extensive overview of key contributors (authors, countries, journals) in these fields. Then, the keywords of the corresponding publications were analyzed to reveal the main topics covered to date. First, a broad scale is presented, followed by a focus on sub-categories, specifically raw materials for bio-based building materials and implementation techniques for earth-based ones. Finally, a comparative analysis, with the themes covered by composite construction materials as a whole, completes the study. Using statistical analysis coupled with bibliometric network visualization software, this study provides clear, quantifiable, and objective insights into current trends. Furthermore, it facilitates the identification of new, promising research perspectives and highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Physics, modeling, durability and microstructure studies emerge as relevant levers for advancing the future development of these eco-friendly building materials.

Studying the Efficiency of Composite Longitudinal and Transverse Reinforcement for Increasing the Strength and Rigidity of Flexible Eccentrically Compressed Reinforced Concrete Poles

Introduction. In recent years, the use of composite materials for improving the operational properties of the building constructions within the restoration process is gradually replacing the methods, developed for this purpose in the middle of the XXth century and implying the use of reinforced concrete and metal. However, the regulatory framework stipulating the process of strengthening the loadbearing structures of buildings and structures was developed based on the insufficient amount of experimental data. Due to this fact, the large number of structures, exceeding the normative limits, cannot be strengthened with the composite materials, or such strengthening incurs significant economic costs. Thus, nowadays, the experimental studies on strengthening the reinforced concrete structures with composite materials are considered to be forward-looking and relevant. The aim of this study is to analyse the results of a number of experiments conducted to investigate the use and efficiency of composite materials in construction. Materials and Methods. To determine the level of stress in composite carbon materials of the external reinforcement of the eccentrically compressed reinforced concrete poles, the tests were carried out with four specimens. All specimens were strengthened using different reinforcement schemes. The strain gauges with 2cm active measuring grid length were installed in the zones of the most evident work of the composite materials to measure the changes of relative deformation at each load level during testing of the specimens. From 10 to 16 strain gauges were installed at each structure, depending on the importance of the zones for determining the deformations.Results. The work presents the results of the study on determining the efficiency of composite longitudinal and transverse reinforcement for increasing the rigidity and strength of flexible eccentrically compressed reinforced concrete poles. The experimental data on the composite materials’ strength, deflections and relative deformations, obtained during testing of four reinforced concrete poles, is presented. The efficiency of composite reinforcement at ultimate strength and ultimate deflections is assessed. The relative deformations in composite materials are determined and the inclusion of the reinforcement system in the work of the strengthened reinforced concrete specimens is assessed.Discussion and Conclusion. Based on the obtained results, the analysis of the composite reinforcement efficiency has been carried out, and proposals have been developed on designing the reinforcement systems of the flexible eccentrically compressed reinforced concrete poles working with the large eccentricities of the load application.

Editorial for the Special Issue on Sustainable Composite Construction Materials

Sustainable composite construction materials play a crucial role in creating more environmental friendly and energy-efficient buildings [...]

Free‐form reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, and composite components: Calculation of cross‐section values

AbstractA resource‐efficient use of concrete as a construction material can be achieved by adapting the individual shape of a component under consideration to the stresses that occur and by arranging composite construction materials (e.g., reinforcing steel, prestressing steel, or structural steel) in suitable areas of the component. Due to the advancing digitalization in the construction industry, for example in the context of Building Information Modeling, computer‐aided 3D modeling methods are increasingly being used in the planning of structures. These allow engineers to design components in free form. In reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, and composite construction, the design of such components is currently still associated with great effort. In the context of the development of a practical method for the calculation of free‐form concrete components, this paper presents a CAD‐integrated method for the calculation of cross‐section values. Cross‐section values are required as an essential calculation basis when real, three‐dimensional structural components are treated using simplified calculation theories, such as the beam theory. In this paper, the mathematical and numerical fundamentals of a method for the calculation of cross‐section values of free‐form concrete, reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, and compound components are presented. The calculation method is based on flat geometric regions described by Non‐uniform Rational B‐Spline tensor product surfaces, which can be extracted from solid models, for example.

STUDY OF REGULARITY OF CHANGES IN VOLUMETRIC MASS OF FOAMED GEOPOLYMER MATERIALS ON BASIS OF LIMESTONE WAST

The creation of composite construction materials, which have a less harmful impact on the environment both at the stage of their production and in the process of their use, is of great interest in the global construction industry. Recent innovations have led to the creation of foamed geopolymer concrete or geopolymer foam, which includes the operational advantages of thermal and acoustic insulation materials, saves energy by reducing heat loss, and contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions into the environment. For a better understanding of the properties and benefits related to the use of foamed geopolymer materials, this paper presents studies of the volumetric mass of these materials obtained from limestone waste and silicate activator. Samples with a ratio of components (limestone waste: activator) of 70:30, 75:25, and 80:20 were obtained. Studies of the volumetric mass depending on changes in the concentration of alkali in the solution of the gas generation activator showed that the minimum values of the volumetric mass are achieved at 1 mol/L concentration of alkali. In addition, it was found that the best foaming geopolymer material is achieved at a ratio of components of 80:20 and at a content of the gas generation activator solution in the mixture of 18% mass. Keywords: foamed geopolymer, volumetric mass, porosity, thermal insulation material.

Changing the approach to sustainable constructions: An adaptive mix-design calibration process for earth composite materials

One major drawback of excavation earth-based composite construction materials is the variability in excavation earth characteristics from site to site. This variability can affect certain physical properties, and, in turn, the design models used to create a structure. To solve this problem, a methodology has been developed to predict the physical properties of earth-based composites for any mix-design variation, which enables a robust structural design process.This new methodology has been tested for Shot-earth, a new class of earth-based composite material made using high rates of excavation earth, aggregates, and a low rate of stabilization if needed. Shot-earth is placed using a high-speed dry-mix process.The methodology was tested by preparing small, inexpensive specimens through a process that simulates the dry-process used to fabricate Shot-earth in the field. An adaptive technique, used in conjunction with the experimental methodology, allows for the identification of the variant of possible Shot-earth mix-designs that provides optimal physical properties for a specific project. This technique is potentially applicable to any type of earth-based composite. The proposed methodology's reliability enables a fast and cost-effective detailing of Shot-earth constructions.

Neural Network Aided Homogenization Approach for Predicting Effective Thermal Conductivity of Composite Construction Materials.

Thermal conductivity is a fundamental material parameter involved in various infrastructure design guides around the world. This paper developed an innovative neural network (NN) aided homogenization approach for predicting the effective thermal conductivity of various composite construction materials. The 2-D meso-structures of dense graded asphalt mixture, porous asphalt mixture, and cement concrete were generated and divided into 2n × 2n square elements with specific thermal conductivity values. A two-layer feed-forward neural network with sigmoid hidden neurons and linear output neurons was built to predict the effective thermal conductivity of the 2 × 2 block. The Levenberg-Marquardt backpropagation algorithm was used to train the network. By repeatedly using the neural network, the effective thermal conductivities of 2-D meso-structures were calculated. The accuracy of the above NN aided homogenization approach was validated with experiment, and various factors affecting the effective thermal conductivity were analyzed. The analysis results show that the accuracy of the NN aided approach is acceptable with relative errors of 1.92~4.34% for the dense graded asphalt mixture, 1.10~6.85% for the porous asphalt mixture, and 1.13~3.14% for the cement concrete. The relative errors for all the materials are lower than 5% when the heterogeneous structures are divided into 512 × 512 elements. Ignoring the actual material meso-structures may lead to significant errors (134.01%) in predicting the effective thermal conductivity of materials with high heterogeneity such as porous asphalt mixture. While proper simplification is acceptable for dense construction composite materials. The effective thermal conductivity of composite cement-asphalt mixtures increases with higher saturation of grouted material. However, the improvement effect of the high-conductive cement paste on the composite cement-asphalt mixtures could be significantly reduced when the cement paste concentrates at the bottom of the mixture. Cracked aggregates and segregation of material components tend to decrease the effective thermal conductivity of construction materials. The NN aided homogenization approach presented in this paper is useful for selecting the effective thermal conductivity of construction materials.

Nanocomposites as Substituent of Cement: Structure and Mechanical Properties

To date, the scientific research in the field of recycling of construction and demolition wastes was focused on the production of concrete, cements, and bricks. The attainment of these products was limited to the addition of suitable binder contents, such as lime or cement, compaction, and possibly heat treatment, without a concrete recycling method. In this paper, new cement materials consisting of 2.5 weight% composite and originating from construction and demolition waste powder, were prepared and investigated in view of applications in the construction industry as a substituent of cement. The materials with recycled powder from construction and demolition wastes were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The XRD data indicate vitroceramic structures with varied crystalline phases. The NMR relaxometry data show four reservoirs of water associated with bounded water and with three types of pores in the composite construction material. The micro-Vickers hardness was measured to reflect the influence of composite nature in the local mechanical properties of the composite-cement for the mixture with Portland cement and (EC) expired cement.

Study on reinforced concrete elements of buildings and structures with cracks, reinforced with composite polymer materials

With the rapid development of modern construction practice around the world, serious problems arise in the application and subsequent operation of reinforced concrete structures. Today, the problem of reconstruction and restoration of buildings and structures requires an urgent solution. The deterioration of the environmental situation threatens the reliability of buildings and structures, a sharp deterioration in their condition is observed in almost all countries and climatic zones. In our case, the trend towards wear is developing due to the imperfection of regulatory documents and the need for proper maintenance of objects. The development of the construction industry and the use of innovative composite polymer materials in construction and the strengthening of existing buildings and structures with modern methods are relevant. Often very rare, expensive, historically significant structures require reliable operation, and their dismantling or replacement is more expensive than repair, or even impossible. Reinforcement of building structures using composite polymer materials (CPM) is by far the most “cautious” measure for their restoration and improvement of performance. In our research, the main attention is paid to the technology of external reinforcement of reinforced concrete beams using CFRP to increase their load-bearing capacity at shear. To reduce material consumption when strengthening the structure, it is more efficient to use CFRP in the form of strips, however, this practice has not been practically studied. Previous researchers have concentrated their attention mainly on external reinforcement, generally ignoring the effect of internal reinforcement. However, it is known that internal and external reinforcement complement each other and the destruction during shearing of reinforced concrete elements is mainly influenced by such factors as steel clamps, longitudinal reinforcement and the ratio of the shear span to the working height of the section. Therefore, in our studies, special attention was paid to considering the influence of these factors on the overall bearing capacity of beams. In addition, the work studied the ability to transfer shear stresses through cracks in reinforced concrete beams reinforced with external reinforcement from CFRP compared to the same unreinforced ones.

Analysis and prediction of plastic waste composite construction material properties using machine learning techniques

AbstractThe use of plastic‐based composites as building materials may be one method of recycling plastic waste. Plastic pollution has emerged as a global issue since our planet is becoming increasingly engulfed in plastic waste. In order to preserve a long‐term sustainable ecosystem, alternative methods of recycling this plastic trash would be extremely beneficial. In this study, the six attributes, which are ingredients used to make plastic composite construction material, are used to predict five target variables or properties of plastic composite construction material, such as compressive strength, flexural strength, split tensile strength, density, and water absorption. Five machine learning techniques random forest, Decision Tree, Ridge, Lasso, and Linear regression have been used to get the best prediction model for the properties of plastic composite construction material. The correlation method has been used to analyze the relationships among the properties and ingredients of plastic composite construction material. Analytical results for K‐fold cross‐validation show that random forest and decision tree form the best predictive models, having greater prediction accuracy than the rest of the machine learning algorithms. This pioneering work provides a simple and convenient method for predicting various properties of plastic‐based composite construction material and finding the impact of each composition mix on various properties.

Case study on MOC composites enriched by foamed glass and ground glass waste: Experimental assessment of material properties and performance

Nowadays, many researchers are intensively trying to develop novel environmentally friendly composite materials for construction with a view to replace widely used Portland cement (PC). Current hopes are pinned on the use of materials based on reactive magnesia. In this case study, composites prepared from magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC), ground waste glass, and either quartz sand or foam glass were prepared and analyzed in detail. The main aim was to design and develop novel composites with low unit weight, good thermal insulation performance, and high water damage resistance. In addition, the application of secondary-raw materials as a partial substitution for common fillers was accented. The properties of fresh and matured composites were studied and analyzed within the framework of a complex experimental campaign involving phase composition assessment, structural, textural, mechanical, hygric, thermal, and durability parameters testing, as well as the identification of main chemical bonds in the formed hardened materials. The usage of ground waste glass led to a significant drop in porosity, densified microstructure, enhanced compressive strength, reduced water ingress, and improved durability. In general, the prepared composites provide properties and performance, which make them promising eco-efficient alternatives to PC-based construction composites.

Investigation of cycloaliphatic amine-cured bisphenol-A epoxy resin under quenching treatment and the effect on its carbon fiber composite lamination strength

AbstractThermosetting epoxy resin polymer with cycloaliphatic amines curing agent has been widely used for a composite matrix with carbon fiber reinforcement. The utilization was increased due to the superior performance of this epoxy resin compared to other polymers. However, a changing operational environment has potentially reduced composite performance, which most likely begins with matrix degradation. This research applies thermal treatment by the quenching process sequence to the epoxy resin matrix and its reinforced carbon fiber composite (CFRP). The composite is made by epoxy resin diglycidyl ether bisphenol-A, curing with cycloaliphatic amine as matrix and strengthening carbon fiber mat/woven. Three times quenching treatment was performed by heating the specimen around the glass transition temperature and then dipped immediately in fresh water. After quenching treatment, the epoxy resin shows a reduction in tensile strength and elongation. Under infrared observation, epoxy resin does not significantly show changes in functional groups. Investigation under X-ray refraction also indicates no difference in a crystalline structure; this epoxy resin stays in an amorphous form before and after quenching. In contrast to the matrix, the quenching treatment of the CFRP composite above the epoxy resin s glass transition temperature revealed an increase in the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). The matrix ductility reduction after quenching should be carefully considered for application in the form of epoxy resin sheets or CFRP composite construction materials.

Experimental Comparison of the Bearing Capacity of GFRP Beams and 50% Recycled GFRP Beams

This manuscript investigates the possibility of using recycled glass fiber-reinforced polymer for the production of load-bearing elements in construction. Due to the increasing use of GFRP in the world, an increasing amount of waste is generated. The main objective of this research is to expand the use of composite materials in construction and, in particular, to examine the possibilities of original and recycled GFRP. Firstly, the basic characteristics of two different but very similar materials were determined using standard testing samples. Subsequently, experimental beam models were tested as a four-point bending beam model. The beam models used in this experiment were made of two types of materials, glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) and recycled glass fiber-reinforced polymer (RGFRP). The experiments were conducted until the failure of the beam models. The test results are presented in the form of a force/displacement diagram, and the confirmation of the experimental results is shown by means of a numerical model of the beam. Both materials exhibited a very good strength-to-weight ratio, rendering them a suitable choice of material for load-bearing beam elements. Finally, the justification for recycling and the comparison of original and recycled material are presented in a dimensionless diagram. The comparison of these two materials provides some good insights for future research into GFRP beams. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-12-017 Full Text: PDF

Evaluation of carbonation coefficient of reinforced concrete structures

ABSTRACT With the advancement of modern construction technology, reinforced concrete (RC) has become the most widely used composite construction material. Corrosion of embedded reinforcement bars in RC structures, which is essentially the result of carbonation and chloride attack, is regarded as one of the weaknesses. Hence, many research studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of corrosion on the service life of RC structures. However, so far no proper equation has been derived to predict the extent of carbonation-induced corrosion. Identifying this research gap, the present study intends to derive an equation for the coefficient of carbonation (K), which is the governing measure of the rate of carbonation. This paper identifies concrete grade, exposed CO2 gas concentration, and exposed Relative Humidity (RH) level as the major parameters affecting the carbonation process. The behaviour of each factor along with K was identified by conducting a modified accelerated carbonation test (ACT). These experimentally derived K values were statistically analysed under the principle of multiple linear regression, to derive an equation for predicting K values for RC structures. Based on the results, this paper proposes two user-friendly mathematical models covering the entire environmental RH range to predict the K values of RC structures.

Cementless building materials made from recycled plastic and sand/glass: a review and road map for the future

Plastic and glass can be sorted using machines and recycled into new plastic and glass, as opposed to producing them from raw materials. However, contaminated plastic and glass, as well as certain types of plastic and glass, cannot be recycled using traditional methods and must be disposed of in landfill. Researchers have been looking into this and have tried a variety of solutions to convert this waste into functional products. The development of composite construction materials, based on these two materials was identified as a worthy solution. On the other hand, carbon dioxide is emitted during the cement manufacturing process and the use of that cement in the production of construction materials contributes 7% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, plastic sand/glass composite is environmentally friendly in two ways. It reduces landfill while also replacing the equivalent concrete product, lowering CO2 emissions. This paper examines the literature on the development of such materials, including technology, challenges, quality, and properties. At the raw material selection stage, the effect of sand grain sizes, gradation, plastic type, plastic mix, impurities, pre-processing, and cleaning was investigated. At the material processing stage, the filler to binder ratio, mixing temperatures, mixing methodology, and compaction were all examined. It was identified plastic type and a mix of plastic, as well as impurities did not affect the density or strength of the composite significantly. Also, the compressive strength of the composite products manufactured in the considered studies is comparable to C20/25 concrete.