STRENGTH AND FRACTURE PROPERTIES OF EPOXY-CEMENT COMPOSITES

The strength and fracture properties of epoxy-resin modified cement mortar matrices and an epoxy resin modified cellulose-cement composite have been studied in this paper. In place of the conventional polymer impregnation technique the liquid epoxy resin emulsion is directly added to the cement mix during the fabrication process. The amount of epoxy resin added to the cement mortar matrices varies from 5 per cent to 17 per cent by weight. Compared with the control unmodified cement samples the experimental results show a 60 per cent and a 65 per cent increase in the tensile and bending strengths respectively. The critical strain energy release rate also increases by a significant 85 per cent. It appears that the enhancement of mechanical properties reaches a maximum at about 10 per cent epoxy content. With the aid of SEM analysis it is suggested that the mechanism of strengthening is not due to void-filling but to the formation of a continuous epoxy phase within the cement matrix and/or the improvement of bond strength between the silica grains and cement. However, only marginal improvements in strength and fracture resistance are obtained in cellulose-cement composites with 10 per cent epoxy addition. Such improvements are primarily due to the enhanced properties of the epoxy modified cement matrices. There is no concrete experimental evidence of an improved fibre-matrix bond as reported in other polymer impregnation fibre-cements. (Author/TRRL) abstract of the conference is IRRD no 254909.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/858411679
• Supplemental Notes:
  • The Second Australian Conference on Engineering Materials, held at Sydney, July 6-8, 1981.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of New South Wales

  Gate 9, High Street
  Kensington, New South Wales  Australia  2052
• Authors:
  • Sia, T K
  • Mai, Y M
  • Cotterell, B
• Conference:
  • The Second Australian Conference on Engineering Materials, held at Sydney, July 6-8, 1981.
• Publication Date: 1981

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: p. 515-529

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cellulose; Cement; Composite materials; Conferences; Epoxy resins; Fabrication; Failure; Flexural strength; Fracture mechanics; Mechanical properties; Mortar; Polymers; Strain (Mechanics); Strength of materials; Tensile strength
• Uncontrolled Terms: Fracture
• Old TRIS Terms: Cement modifications; Strains
• ITRD Terms: 7436: Cellulose; 4758: Cement; 9005: Composite; 8525: Conference; 7468: Epoxy resin; 5520: Failure; 5544: Strength (mater)
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Planning and Forecasting; I32: Concrete; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00348597
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 85841 167 9
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 30 1982 12:00AM