Shear Strength of Reinforced Polyester Concrete Using Recycled PET

Abstract

Polymer concrete is a composite material that consists of inorganic aggregates bonded together by a resin binder. The material can be used effectively in a variety of structural applications such as transportation, utility, marine, and building components. However, previous research on the shear behavior of steel-reinforced polymer concrete beams is limited, and no efficient design procedures have been proposed. In all the previous studies, it was generally assumed that the shear behavior of steel-reinforced polymer concrete is similar to the shear behavior of steel-reinforced portland cement concrete because both are composite materials consisting of a binder and inorganic aggregates. The objective of this paper is to study the behavior and to develop a design procedure in shear for steel-reinforced polymer concrete beams using unsaturated polyester resins based on recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate). Resins based on recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) was chosen because it can be used in the production of very good quality polymer concrete at a relatively low cost.