Fracture behaviour of polymer concrete reinforced with carbon and nylon fibres Available to Purchase

Methods to enhance the mechanical and fracture properties of polymer concrete were investigated by using carbon and nylon fibres and a silane agent. The strengths, stress intensity factor (K_IC), and critical crack tip opening displacement (CTOD_C) were studied by varying the fibre and polymer contents. As a result, fracture toughness and mechanical properties increased with both increasing fibre and increasing resin contents. The silane agent improved the adhesion of polymer to aggregates and resulted in greater compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength and material resistance to crack extension. Adding fibres to the polymer concrete produced a bridging effect at the crack tip and hence slowed the crack propagation. For all specimens, the critical K_IC and the critical CTOD_C values increased with increasing fibre content. Carbon fibre reinforcement increased K_IC by 86·5% and CTOD_C by 321·7% of the original value of the unreinforced polymer concrete. Nylon fibre reinforcement increased K_IC by 49·1% and CTOD_C by 219·5% of the original value of unreinforced polymer concrete. Carbon fibre reinforcement provided better flexural strength and fracture properties than nylon fibres, due to its superior mechanical properties.