High performance fibre reinforced cementitious composites: a sustainable building material for controlling water permeability

Title: High performance fibre reinforced cementitious composites: a sustainable building material for controlling water permeability
Author(s): T. Nishiwaki
Paper category : conference
Book title: RILEM International Symposium on Environment-Conscious Materials and Systems for Sustainable Development
Editor(s): N. Kashino and Y. Ohama
Print-ISBN: 2-912143-55-1
e-ISBN: 2912143640
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2004
Pages: 279 - 286
Total Pages: 8
Nb references: 4
Language: English

Abstract: Ingress of gases, water and aggressive chemicals into concrete occurs through pores and particularly through surface cracks. Initial attack of aggressive agents causes corrosion of reinforcing bars followed by volume expansion, inducing spalling of concrete cover and faster deterioration rate. Hence, the development of cracks leads to larger permeability and escalating durability problems. Though it is impossible to completely prevent crack formation, deterrence of crack growth by controlling crack width can be effective countermeasure against ingress and attack of deteriorating agents. Concrete though has considerable strength under compression is brittle and cracks rapidly propagate under tension. High Performance Fibre Reinforcement Cementitious Composites (HPFRCC) emerged as attractive solution to this problem. With optimized amounts of fibres, HPFRCC exhibits much higher ductility than concrete even under tension. An attractive feature of HPFRCC is that it can uphold the increase of crack openings and consequently prevent propagation by promoting the development of concurrent fine cracks, referred to as multiple cracking. Hence by keeping the crack width relatively narrow, HPFRCC can be considerably more effective in preventing inflow of water and deteriorating agents. This experimental investigation on the coefficient of permeability of HPFRCC suggests that coating with HPFRCC is effective to prevent increase in concrete permeability.

Online publication: 2004-11-24
Publication type : full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00
doi: 10.1617/2912143640.033