This study evaluated the setting shrinkage characteristics of Methyl Methacrylate (MMA)-modified vinyl ester polymer concrete with different curing ages, MMA contents and curing temperatures. Results have shown that most of the setting shrinkage developed within 24 h after curing initiation. It was also found that an increase in MMA content led to an almost linear decrease in setting shrinkage, indicating that adding an MMA monomer was an effective measure to reduce the setting shrinkage of MMA-modified vinyl ester polymer concrete. A higher curing temperature tended to result in greater setting shrinkage, indicating that low-temperature curing is beneficial for reducing the setting shrinkage. The magnitude of setting shrinkage observed in vinyl ester polymer concrete was much greater than the drying shrinkage typically observed in ordinary Portland cement concrete but was smaller than the setting shrinkage of polymer concrete incorporating other types of binder.
This study investigated the strength developments and deformation characteristics of methyl methacrylate (MMA)-modified vinyl ester polymer concrete, with MMA contents and curing temperatures as test variables. To lower the viscosity of the vinyl ester resin applied as a binder, an MMA monomer was added. In this study, the developed 168-h compressive and flexural strengths were 43.8-77.2 and 18.2-21.8 MPa, respectively. Also, these values decreased as MMA contents increased and curing temperatures decreased. The coefficient of thermal expansion ranged from 10.82 9 10 -6 to 14.23 9 10 -6 /°C, and it decreased as an MMA content increased. The ultimate compressive strain ranged from 0.00391 to 0.00494, which decreased with an increase in MMA contents and notably decreased with a decrease in curing temperatures. The modulus of elasticity tended to decrease as MMA contents increased and curing temperatures decreased.
The compressive strength of vinyl ester polymer concrete is predicted using the maturity method. The compressive strength rapidly increased until the curing age of 24 hrs and thereafter slowly increased until the curing age of 72 hrs. As the MMA content increased, the compressive strength decreased. Furthermore, as the curing temperature decreased, compressive strength decreased. For vinyl ester polymer concrete, datum temperature, ranging from −22.5 to −24.6 ∘ C, decreased as the MMA content increased. The maturity index equation for cement concrete cannot be applied to polymer concrete and the maturity of vinyl ester polymer concrete can only be estimated through control of the time interval Δ . Thus, this study introduced a suitable scaled-down factor ( ) for the determination of polymer concrete's maturity, and a factor of 0.3 was the most suitable. Also, the DR-HILL compressive strength prediction model was determined as applicable to vinyl ester polymer concrete among the dose-response models. For the parameters of the prediction model, applying the parameters by combining all data obtained from the three different amounts of MMA content was deemed acceptable. The study results could be useful for the quality control of vinyl ester polymer concrete and nondestructive prediction of early age strength.
Abstract:The main purpose of this study is to identify the effects of curing temperature and methyl methacrylate (MMA) content on the working life of vinyl ester polymer concreteusing MMA as a monomer, N,N-dimethylp-toluidine (DMP) and methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKPO) as initiators and cobalt naphthenate as a promoter. The results have shown that the working life of vinyl ester polymer concrete was shortened with an increased curing temperature and a decreased MMA content. Also, it was found that the curing temperature had a greater influence on the working life of vinyl ester polymer concrete than MMA content. The working life of vinyl ester polymer concrete was found to be about 70 and 10 min longer than the setting time of vinyl ester polymeric binder at curing temperatures of -10 and 20°C, respectively. The MMA content had a much smaller effect on the curing temperature. Lastly, a linear regression equation was drawn by analyzing the correlation between setting time of the binder and working life of polymer concrete, which could be used for the prediction of the working life of vinyl ester polymer concrete based on the setting time of the vinyl ester binder.
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