Polymer concrete is a composite material that is often a viable alternative to portland cement concrete. The mechanical and durability properties of three high-molecular weight methacrylate polymer concrete systems using different monomers are discussed. Properties discussed include compressive strength, flexural bond testing, modulus of elasticity, coefficient of thermal expansion, shrinkage, freeze thaw, freeze-thaw shear bond, water absorption, chemical resistance, and crack repair. The monomers themselves were shown to be very effective in sealing cracks with widths as narrow as 0.5 mm while restoring flexural strength.

The corrosion of reinforcing steel embedded in concrete causes cracks and delamination in the concrete. The application of impressed current cathodic protection utilizing electrically conductive polymer concrete to distribute the current across concrete bridge deck surfaces is gradually becoming a standard practice in the highway industry. To protect the bridge substructures, a sprayable electrically conductive polymer concrete coating is being developed. This thin coating has a very low resistivity and can distribute the cathodic protection current across the concrete surfaces that are to be protected.

A furfuryl alcohol-based polymer concrete (FA-PC) has been developed for use as an all-weather repair material for concrete and asphalt surfaces. For this application, the following criteria were established: high-strength at an age of one hour, placement of the materials possible during heavy precipitation over temperatures ranging from -32 to 52 C, and the chemical constituents low in cost with long-term stability when contained in a maximum of three packages during storage. A formulation consisting of furfuryl alcohol monomer (FA), à,à,à-trichlorotulene, pyridine, silane, zinc chloride, silica filler, and coarse aggregate meets these requirements. Optimized formulations were established for use with premixed and percolation placement methods. The premixed formulation meets essentially all of the property and storage criteria and is compatible with moisture contents up to 4 percent by weight of the total mass, which stimulates placement in a 2.54 cm/hr rainfall. The working time for the FA-PC slurry can be controlled at ñ15 min over the operating temperature range -20 to 52 C by simply varying the à,à,à-trichlorotoluene catalyst concentration while holding all the other constituents constant. Below -20 C, slight increases in FA and ZnCl2 concentrations are needed to yield optimum properties. Prototype equipment for the mixing and placement of FA-PC was constructed and used in a series of tests up to a size of 6 x 6 x 0.15 m. The equipment consisted of a concrete transit mix supply of mixed aggregate, a hopper-fed volumetric feed screw that supplied aggregate at a known rate to a mixing screw, and a monomer pump and spray nozzle. The unit mixed and delivered FA-PC at ÷ 182 kg/min. The practicability of using equipment currently employed for the continuous placement of conventional portland cement concrete was proven. Field tests were performed under rainfall and dry conditions at temperatures ranging from -15 to 35 C. In all of these tests, the mixing and placement equipment performed well and the FA-PC slurries exhibited self-leveling characteristics. Test results from proxy samples prepared during the placement of the patches and cores taken after simulated aircraft trafficking indicated that the property requirements at an age of one hour were attained.

New Zealand has a predominantly agricultural-based economy and, thus a heavy investment in processing buildings such as export abattoirs and dairy factories. Component failures in these types of plants may have a serious effect on production and profitability. During the past 10 years, the Building Research Association of New Zealand has carried out an extensive research program investigating properties in the laboratory and in use on flooring materials for abattoirs. During the course of these investigations, it became clear that the formulation of widely used commercial polymer concrete toppings could be improved. In particular, these investigations sought a reduction of the resin content below the common figure of approximately 20 percent by weight and alternative aggregate sources to the limited supply of light-colored quartz and quartzite sands. However, it was important to preserve the application of new alternative mixes by trowelling, the traditional method. By starting from the aggregate grading curves of Weymouth and BS 882 and by using gap-grading, it was possible to lower the resin content to percent or less and still retain trowellability while using aggregates from traditional sources. Alternative sources of aggregates, such as sandstone (greywacke) and basalt, that could be used to produce the light-colored floors considered imperative for hygiene by the industry were found. The experimental polymer concrete floor toppings were tested for the necessary mechanical properties (compressive strength, abrasion, and impact resistance) for abattoir use.

Polymer concretes using various polymeric binders are widely used as building materials, but it is generally considered that their thermal resistance and fire resistance are limited because of the thermally unstable and combustible polymeric binders used. This paper deals with the incombustibility of polyester and polymethyl methacrylate concretes made with wet aggregates by applying strength improvement techniques, including the addition of moisture absorptive additives, a silane-coupling agent, and steel fibers. The polyester and polymethyl methacrylate concretes are prepared with wet aggregates, moisture absorptive additives, a silane-coupling agent, and steel fibers. First, the concretes are tested for compressive strength to examine the effects of the applied strength improvement techniques. Then they are tested for incombustibility by the surface burning test specified in JIS A 1321 (Testing Method for Incombustibility of Internal Finish Material and Procedure of Buildings). It is concluded from the test results that the use of wet aggregates causes great improvement in the incombustibility of polyester concrete, but polymethyl methacrylate concrete with wet aggregates does not provide a good incombustibility because of the thermal decomposition of its binder at a relatively low temperature.