Shrinkage, Weight Loss and Fracture Parameters of Selected Polymer-Modified Cement Mortars During Ageing

Abstract

Results of pilot experiments focused on monitoring of shrinkage, weight loss and mechanical fracture properties of two selected polymer-modified cement mortars (PCM) during their aging are presented in the paper. Comparison of the measurement results was carried out on the test specimens at the age of 3, 28, and 90 days. The results show that even the specimens made from PCMs, for which the manufacturer declares no shrinkage, shrank considerably. The results also show that the development of mechanical fracture parameters during ageing of these materials differs from generally expected trends and thus the monitoring of these parameters is recommended.

Keywords

• Polymer-modified cement mortar
• shrinkage
• weight loss
• modulus of elasticity
• fracture toughness
• fracture energy