Structural Characteristics of Composite Mortars and their Evolution with PET Substitution Level for Several Specimens’ Ages

Abstract

This present study aims to investigate the evolution of structural response of PET-Mortar composite test with a short-beam specimen in three-point bending tests, with composite mortar ages and volumetric polymer rate and this, based on compression strength tests. The ultimate PET-mortar composite structural responses are calculated at the mid span of the short-beam by the mean of mechanics-of-materials theory basis. According to this theory, the distribution of bending moments and shear forces at any point of the composite short-beam specimen doesn’t depend on material mechanical properties especially the young modulus of modified mortar composite; so, the structural response analysis has been limited to investigate the evolution of ultimate deflection with several volumetric PET rates and composite mortar ages. In the other hand, we present a comparative study between experimental test results of splitting tensile and compressive strengths with the ones predicted by codale previsions (ACI-363 and B.S) codes in terms of PET mortar ages and volumetric PET rates in order to recommend the most suitable design code for PET-mortar composite applications in construction industries.

Keywords

• green composites
• waste polymer
• mortar age
• young modulus of elasticity
• three point flexural test
• short-beam lateral deflections