DURABILITY OF GLASS FIBER REINFORCED MORTAR

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Materials Engineering Dept., Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University, EGYPT

Abstract

In this work, the durability of glass fiber reinforced mortar, GFRM, was experimentally
investigated. The evaluation was based on the performance of the composite under three
mechanical tests (compression, indirect tension and flexural). The GFRM specimens were exposed
to four-environmental attack. These include air, water, chloride and sulfate. The specimens were
tested after 28, 180, 360 and 540 days. The effect of fiber volume fractions, (V+=0, 1, 2 and 3 %)
was considered. The effect of using sulfate resistant cement and addition of 10% silica fume to the
ordinary Portland cement on the durability of the GFRM was undertaken. Test results indicated
that the addition of glass fiber has a small effect on the compressive strength of GFRM specimens.
The presence of glass fiber in the cement-based mortar enhanced the relative compressive strength
of the composite stored in sulfate. There is a general increase in the tensile and flexural strengths
with increasing fiber volume fraction. The addition of 10% silica fume enhanced the compressive
and tensile strengths of the specimens stored in water media at all ages but for specimens stored in
sulfate it enhanced up to 180 days and after that they decreased. Sulfate resistant cement enhanced
the compressive and tensile strengths of GFRM stored in sulfate media compared to those
specimens stored in water media.

Keywords