Title: Fracture Toughness of Polymer Concrete

Author(s): C. Vipulanandan and N. Dharmandan

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 118

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 69-90

Keywords: cracking (fracturing); epoxy resins; flexural strength; fracture properties; notch sensitivity; polyester resins; polymer concrete; stresses; tests; Structural Research

DOI: 10.14359/2921

Date: 1/1/1990

Abstract:
Fracture behavior of epoxy and polyester polymer concrete (PC) systems are investigated in Mode I fracture using single-edge notched beams with varying notch depths. The beams were loaded in four-point bending. Influence of polymer content on the fracture behavior of epoxy PC andpolyester PC at room temperature was studied using uniform Ottawa 20-30 sand. The polymer content was varied between 10 and 18 percent of the total weight of the composite. The flexural strength of the polymer concrete systems increase with increase in polymer content while the flexural modulus goes through a maximum. The critical stress intensity factor KIC was determined by two methods, including a method based on crack mouth opening displacement. At the same polymer content, the epoxy PC has a higher fracture toughness than polyester PC. The KIC for epoxy PC and polyester PC increases with increase in polymer content and PC flexural strength. The critical stress intensity factor of PC is represented in terms of polymer content and polymer strength. Numerical tests based on random sampling and stratified sampling procedures were performed to substantiate the experimentally observed fracture toughness values of polymer concrete.