Marinela Barbuta

Comparison of Mechanical Properties for Polymer Concrete with Different Types of Filler

Sustained research and development work on the utilization of waste (fly ash and silica fume) for various productive uses have been carried out. In the construction industry, major attention has been devoted to the use of fly ash and silica fume in concrete as addition to or as cement replacement. The utilization of a solid waste, fly ash and silica fume, in polymer concrete was reported in this paper including the effects on the compressive strength, flexural strength, and split tensile strength. The results show the influence of fly ash and silica fume content on the mechanical properties of polymer concrete with epoxy resin. The fillers improved the mechanical characteristics of polymer concrete compared to that of polymer concrete without filler: the compressive strength of polymer concrete with fly ash content was favorably influenced by the filler compound to polymer concrete with silica fume.

Using Neural Networks for Prediction of Properties of Polymer Concrete with Fly Ash

AbstractThis paper presents the results of studies conducted with neural networks on determining the properties of polymer concrete with fly ash. Polymer concrete with different contents of fly ash and resin was prepared and tested for determining the influence of fly ash on the properties. Using neural networks, the experimental results were analyzed for predicting the compressive strength and flexural strength, and also on the basis of a model with given values of properties, to ascertain the composition (content of resin, aggregate, and fly ash). Eleven sets were considered for training and four for verification. Reverse modeling proves that the largest values for compressive strength and flexural strength are obtained for a resin content of approximately 15–16%, and a fly ash content of approximately 8–9%.

A VARIANT OF GREEN CONCRETE WITH INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL WASTE

The research presented in this paper aim to analyze the effects of cement replacement by fly ash in 10 vol. %, 20 vol. %, and 30 vol. % and, afterwards, the effects of mineral aggregates substitution by 50 vol. % with vegetal aggregates. The used vegetal aggregates were shredded corn cobs, and were investigated the density, the compressive and split tensile strength of concrete. The results revealed that fly ash, as cement partial replacement, decreased the compressive strength comparing to the reference concrete, meanwhile, the splitting tensile strength was improved when were used 10% and 20% vol. of fly ash. Fly ash had a positive effect on the compressive strength of the vegetal concrete, in the case of the composition with 10% and 30% vol. of industrial waste, and also on splitting tensile strength in the case of 10% and 20% vol. of replacement rate. The concrete density diminished with 1.67%, 3.12% and 3.82% in the case of 10%, 20% and 30% vol. cement replacement by fly ash, respectively. Corn cob aggregates led to a concrete density decreasing with almost 25% compared to reference concrete.

Effects of Marble Waste on Properties of Polymer Concrete

The quantities of wastes, generated in industry are increasing every year. Their utilization became a priority for solving pollution problem and save energy and resources. The wastes are investigated as materials for obtaining new concretes with different applications. Polymer concrete is a composite material, in which the aggregates of different sorts are bound together by a resin. As in the case of cement concrete, different types of wastes (slag, glass, marble, etc.) can replace the aggregates or they can be added in the concrete composition as filler (silica powder, fly ash, calcareous powder, etc). The use of wastes presents some advantages such as: obtaining of new products at lower prices, in some cases with improved properties; consuming of wastes helps to clean the environment; preservation of natural resources which are replaced by wastes; etc.In the experimental study, marble waste is used for obtaining epoxy polymer concrete. The effects of this type of waste on the mechanical properties of polymer concrete were investigated. Two types of concrete were prepared: one with powder of marble as addition and the other type with aggregates of marble waste. The mechanical properties (compressive strength, flexural strength, split tensile strength) were experimentally determined and compared with the characteristics of epoxy polymer concrete (considered as reference mix). The microstructure of polymer concrete with marble waste was analyzed by SEM images. The marble waste influenced the mechanical properties of epoxy polymer concrete. Higher values of mechanical properties were obtained when the marble was used as aggregates. As addition in epoxy polymer concrete, the dosage and finesse of marble had influenced the values of mechanical properties.