Polymer-Concrete Composites

S. Chandra, H. Justnes, and Y. Ohama. Concrete polymer composites The polymeric materials encyclopedia. CRC Press, Inc, Boca Raton, FL, 1996. 

The long range objectives of the joint program are the investigation and development of a concrete-polymer composite as a new construction material. The program includes the development of techniques for preparing concrete-polymer material, measurement of the physical and chemical properties, preparation of full-scale concrete products, and the conceptual design and evaluation of various specific applications. 

Sc is the strength of the concrete-polymer composite, Sm is the cement strength, Vm is the cement volume, Sd is the aggregate strength, Vd is the aggregate volume, A is a theoretically and experimentally determined constant, and 6 is a factor relating to the bonding between... 

Soh, Y.S. (1992), Development of Lightweight Polymer Cement Concrete, Korea-Japan Symposium on Development and Application of Concrete-Polymer composits, Chonbuk National Univ., pp. 172-159. 

Degament [Degussa] Actylic resin used in concrete/polymer composites. 

Bochum, Germany International Symposium on Concrete-Polymer Composites... 

Table 1.3 BSs for Concrete-Polymer Composites (including Polymer-Modified Mortars).

Architectural Institute of Japan (AU) Guide for the Use of Concrete-Polymer Composites (1987) JASSs (Japanese Architectural Standard Spedficatiotls) Including the Polymer-Modified Mortars JASS 8 (Waterpr ing and Sealing) (1993) JASS 15 (Plastering Work) (1989) JASS 18 (Paint Work) (1989) JASS 23 (Spray Finishing) (1989)... 

Ohama, Y., and Demuia, K., Proceedings of the International Symposium on Concrete-Polymer Composites, pp. 19-26, Institut fur Konstruktiven Ingenieurbau, Ruhr-UniversiUit Bochum, Bochum, Germany (Mar. 1991)... 

Polymer-modified or polymer cement mortar (PCM) and concrete (PCC) are a category of concrete-polymer composites which are made by partially replacing the cement hydrate binders of conventional cement mortar or concrete with polymers, i.e., polymeric admixtures or cement modifiers, thereby strengthening the binders with the polymers. Polymer-modified or polymer cement paste, which is prepared widiout any aggregate, is sometimes used. 

For the past seventy years or more, active research and development of polymer-modified mortar and concrete has been conducted around the world, resulting in products which are currently used as popular, important construction materials. To match the technical innovations in the construction industry in recent years, useful polymeric admixtures or polymer-modified mortar and concrete have been developed in advanced countries. There is currently great interest in using polymer-modified mortar and concrete as repair materials for deteriorated reinforced concrete structures. Polymer-modified concrete and mortar are promising construction materials for the future because of the good balance between their performance and cost compared to odier concrete-polymer composites. 

Keywords Concrete-polymer composites. Polymer-modified concrete. Polymer concrete. Polymer-impregnated concrete. Principles of process technology. Research and development. Standardization work. Sustainable concrete-polymer composites. History, The recent and future trends. 

Abstract. The present paper deals with the principles of process technology for concrete-polymer composites, the research and development history of the concrete-polymer composites, the recent trends in the research and development of the concrete-polymer composites and the present status of major standardization work for the concrete-polymer composites, on the basis of comprehensive literature survey. The future trends in the research and development of the concrete-polymer composites are predicted, and sustainable concrete-polymer composites are proposed for the 21st century. 

Since the 1960s, the practical research and development of concrete-polymer composites have been advanced in various countries, and many congresses, symposiums, conferences and workshops on them have been held by international academic organizations. As a result, various publications such as papers, reports, books and standards on them have appeared. 

Fig. 1 shows the system of classification of the concrete-polymer composites [1]. 

Figure 1 System of classification of concrete-polymer composites.

Historical Backgrounds and the Past Achievements in Research and Development Activities Historical Backgrounds. The history of the research and development of concrete-polymer composites is considerably different in various countries because of the differences of scientific and technological backgrounds, and the types of concrete-polymer composites. 

The history of the research and development of polymer-impregnated mortar and concrete is the shortest of the concrete-polymer composites. The process technology for the polymer-impregnated mortar and concrete was developed by applying the concept of wood-polymer composites to cement mortar and concrete in the late 1960s. Their research and development were actively conducted in the United States [12], the European countries [13-14] and Japan [15-16] from the late 1960s to the 1970s. 

In recent years, concrete-polymer composites have widely been used in the construction industry in the world, and standardization work on the test methods, quality requirements and execution procedures for them has progressed in the advanced countries such as the United States, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom. The international and national standards for the concrete-polymer composites, and the standards, recommendations, guides and standard specifications for them by various academic institutions have been published till now. An international academic organization, RILEM issued 31 test methods for the concrete-polymer composites as RILEM Recommendations in 1995. Table 1 lists the main standards, recommendations, guides and standard specification for the concrete-polymer composites. 

Institution or organization Type of concrete-polymer composite standardized Title of standard, recommendation, guide or standard specification... 

RILEM Recommendation PMC RILEM TC-113 Test methods for concrete-polymer composites (PCM-1)-(PCM-18)... 

Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ) Recommendation and Guideline (Japan) PMC, PC and PIC Recommendation for practice of concrete-polymer composites Recommendation for practice of survey, diagnosis and repair for deterioration of reinforce concrete structures Guideline for polymer-modified cement waterproofing membrane work... 

Although concrete-polymer composites are currently used as common construction materials in various applications globally, it appears to have reached a plateau in terms of their new research and development in the advanced countries except for sustainable concrete-polymer composites [86], However, their research and development activities will progress rapidly in the developing or emergent countries in the near future. 

The future growth of concrete-polymer composites may depend considerably on the relative cost of polymers for them [87], An important raw material for the polymers is petroleum. With an increase in the cost of the petroleum in the present world economic trends, the likelihood of the polymers becoming more expensive seems a foregone conclusion [87]. This will provide many difficulties for the future development or growth of the concrete-polymer composites. 

Concrete-polymer composites for the longevity of reinforced concrete structures... 

Y. Ohama Application of concrete-polymer composites and recent trends in their research and development (in Japanese). Concrete Journal Vol.28, No.4 (1990), pp.5-17. 

Y. Ohama The past, present and future of concrete-polymer composites A life s work, in Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on Polymers in Concrete, Volume E (Proceedings of Ohama Symposium), Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea (2007), pp.969-979. 

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