Title: Performance of Epoxy and Polyester Polymer Concrete

Author(s): C. Vipulanandian and E. Paul

Publication: Materials Journal

Volume: 87

Issue: 3

Appears on pages(s): 241-251

Keywords: aggregates; aggregate size; compressive strength; curing; epoxy resins; performance; polyester resins; polymer concrete; splitting tensile strength; strains; stress-strain relationships; temperature; Materials Research

DOI: 10.14359/2187

Date: 5/1/1990

Abstract:
The behavior of epoxy and polyester polymer concrete was studied under various curing conditions, temperatures, and strain rates. Influence of aggregate size and distribution on the mechanical properties of polymer concrete was also investigated. The strain rate was varied between 0.01 to 6 percent strain per min and the temperature between 22 and 120 C. The strength, failure strain, modulus, and stress-strain relationship of polymer concrete systems are influenced to varying degrees by the curing method, testing temperature, and strain rate. The influence of test variables on the mechanical properties of polymer concrete systems are quantified. Compared to the uniformly graded fine aggregates, the gap-graded aggregates produced polymer concrete with better mechanical properties. The compressive modulus and splitting-tensile strength of polymer concrete are related to their compressive strength. It was found that the property relationships recommended by ACI Building Codes and others specifically developed for high-strength cement concrete are not directly applicable to the PC systems investigated in this study. A new constitutive model is proposed to predict the complete compressive stress-strain behavior of epoxy and polyester polymer concrete systems. Analytical expressions relating the parameters of the constitutive model to the testing temperature and strain rate are derived.