Effect of fly ash and synthesized superabsorbent polymer on the self-repair capacity of cement or concrete

Abstract

Despite the fact that concrete is an essential component of modern infrastructure, its durability is a major problem affecting the life of the construction structures involving the costs of major repairs, this is due to the infiltration of water through the existing porosity in the structure causing chemical reactions that cause cracking and deterioration of the material. In this paper, it have been able to design a very resistant cementitious material with maximum durability in order to reduce maintenance costs and extend its life, incorporating a fly ash (FA) up to 40% from the incineration allows of waste medicines that to reduce this porosity and improving the compressive strength up to 61 MPa and the flexural strength up to 8 MPa and by adding polymers P1 and P2. These were synthesized by esterification reaction, in order to obtain a partially cross-linked resin E1 and E2 swelling in the presence of water, with an absorption rate for E1 of 9000% of its weight, which has the function of increasing the compressive strength and flexural strength of the cement mortar by 15% and 21% respectively compared to the mortar without addition, and especially to close the various remaining porosities thus preventing the penetration of water, the diameter of the resin which gives a homogeneous cementitious material with an optimal quantity was evaluated at 40 μ with 0.41% of E1 compared to the cement.