REPAIR & REHABILIATION OF

STRUCTURES
POLYMER CONCRETE
PRESENTED BY:VIRAL SHAH
UMANG SHAH
SMIT SHAH

SUMMARY

Why polymer concrete?

What is polymer concrete?
Types of polymers.
Qualities
Applications
Uses
Advantage, Disadvantage
Suppliers, Manufacture in India.
References

INTRODUCTION
It is a common practise to construct the buildings with
traditional concrete. In major cases of concrete
deterioration, the problem is associated with corrosion
of steel reinforcement.
Therefore, whenever possible, it is desirable for both technical
and economic reasons that deteriorated reinforced concrete
should be repaired with impermeable highly alkaline cement
based materials closely matched in properties to the parent
concrete.
Since last around 20 years polymer concrete is used in repair
and rehabilitation of structures. But due to some extraordinary
physical property of polymer concrete, it has great
variety of application.
Problem like wear, corrosion, low resistance to shock &
frost action can easily be solve by using the polymer concrete,
because polymer concrete has better resistance to shocks.

WHAT IS POLYMER CONCRETE?

Polymer concrete (PC) is a composite material formed by

combining mineral aggregates such as sand or gravel
with a monomer.

PC has following qualities:

Quick setting time

High strength properties
Ability to withstand a corrosive environment.
Material's lightweight nature
Zero percentage of water absorption.
Stability toward the freezing-thawing cycles
Minimum wear from abrasion.
Exceptional mechanical resistance (4x) enables production
of small, lightweight elements.

TYPE OF POLYMERS

PPOLMER USE TO
MODIFY
CEMENTETIOUS
SYSTEM

RESIN REPAIR
MORTAR

EPOXY RESIN

REACTIVE
THERMOSETTING
RESIN

UNSATURATE
D REACTIVE
POLYSTER
RESIN

UNSATURATED
ACRYLIC RESIN

Polymers used to modify

cementitious systems

Since the early 1950s, it has been known that certain

polymers can be added to cementitious mortars and
renders to help overcome many of the problems of using
unmodified mortars etc. as. concrete repair materials.
The polymers used as admixtures for cementitious systems
are normally supplied as milky white dispersions in
water(latex) and are used to gauge the cementitious mortar
as a whole or as partial replacement of the mixing water.
Such mortars afford the same alkaline passivation
protection of the steel as do conventional cementitious
materials.
It can be readily placed in a single application at 1215mm
thickness which gives adequate protective cover

Polymers improve mortars in 3 ways

Improve workability:-Making the mortar more fluid and

easier to handle and apply. prolong the hydration period,
which can increase working time, a water reducer,
ultimately leading to a stronger mortar with fewer voids, or
weak spots.
Improved adhesion:-Act as an adhesive to enable the
modified mortar overlay to stick to a variety of surfaces.
Improved strength and durability:-Polymer-modified
mortars generally have improved tensile strength, flexural
strength, impact and abrasion resistance, water resistance,
and chemical resistance versus unmodified mortars.

REACTIVE TEHERMOSETTING RESINS

1. Resin repair mortars
Where the cover is less than 12 mm and the areas to be
repaired are relatively small resin mortars are being used
extensively

It is important to note that the protection afforded by resin

mortars is achieved by encapsulating the steel reinforcement
with an impermeable macro coating which exhibits
excellent adhesion to both the steel and concrete substrate.
This protective mortar coating will give good long-term
protection of steel reinforcement at thicknesses far less than
is possible with cementitious repair materials.

The chemistry of the resin is, however, significantly

different for each type

2. UNSATURATED REACTIVE
POLYSTER RESINS

Polyester resin systems are chemically much more simple

in that the liquid resin component contains both the
blocked hooks and the eyes in the right proportion
intimately mixed together .
The hardener (or catalyst) component is based on organic
peroxide, which can be in the form of a fine powder, a lowviscosity liquid, or paste.

3. UNSATURATED ACRYLIC RESIN

Acrylic resin systems form high-strength materials by similar

chemical cure mechanisms to the unsaturated resins.
In general, acrylic resins are based on monomers of very low
viscosity or blends of monomers with methyl methacrylate
monomer, the most commonly used.
Because of the very low viscosity of the uncured acrylic
resins, so that the mortars tend to exhibit less shrinkage than
mortars based on unsaturated polyester resins
There are also available acrylic resins based on monomers
such as 2-ethylhexacrylate.
These produce mortars with significantly lower modulus
which are, therefore, able to absorb the stresses due to their
inherent shrinkage without causing bond failure with the
concrete substrate.

CHARACTERISTICS
Quick drainage of fluid
This material, thanks to its
completely smooth, mirror-like
surface, facilitates quick
drainage of fluids. It additionally
offers a zero water absorption
index versus the 5 10% of
traditional concrete

Resistance to chemicals
It is proven that polymer
concrete is one of the most
resistant materials to any type
of chemical. This is because its
components do not react to
contact, thus avoiding
separation or deformation of the
product

CONTD
Wear from abrasion
Polymer Concrete, because it
is a compound material,
guarantees
perfect
preservation
of
surfaces
without any perception of
wear from use or the passage
of time.

Resistance to shock
This material's properties,
together with its optimum
prefabricated design manage
to withstand and absorb the
force of the shock, thus
guaranteeing great resistance
to impacts.

APPLICATIONS

REPAIR &
REHABILIATION OF
STRUCTURE

PPRECAST
BUILDING
COMPONENTS

NEW
CONSTRCTION

PRECAST
DRAINAGE
SYSTEM

PRECAST
VENTILATED
SYSTEM

REPAIR & REHABILIATION OF

STRUCTURE

LOCATION :- UNITED STATES

TYPE OF STRUCTURE :copper mine and refinery.
PROBLEM:
Their cell house, which
contains over 1,500 cells, each
holding more than 20,000
gallons of electrolyte, had
experienced severe corrosion
and structural degradation of
the support columns for the
tanks.
Also, highly acidic leakage
from the cells had corroded the
support columns to the point
that their ability to adequately
withstand the imposed load

Figures illustrates the method

by which the stainless steel bar
was attached to the columns
after surface-preparation.
Stainless
steel
rebar
was
imbedded into the concrete
floor using an epoxy mortar.
To further ensure structural
integrity and to upgrade seismic
capabilities, the company chose
to use fiberglass reinforcement
(FRP) strips and wraps under the
PC.
The strips were installed
vertically on the columns and a
fiberglass fabric was wrapped
around the columns horizontally.
The columns were formed.

The polymer concrete was

poured into place completely
encapsulating the columns.

The PC after the form has

been removed and the FRP
that was applied to the
columns.

SOURCE :POLYMER
CONCRETE
WHITE PAPER
AUTHOR :David E. Snider
Heather M.
Ramsey

PRECAST BUILDINGSYSTEM

WINDOW SILLS
LINTELS
JAMBS
BALCONY INFILLINGS
SLAB FACES
COPING
MOULDING
PIER CAPS
SKIRTINGS

PRECAST DRAINAGE SYSTEM

It offers a range of solutions for channeling fluids and superficial rainwater collections and also for managing installations and
services

PRECAST VENTILATED SYSTEM

It is a system for paneling buildings that combines appreciable aesthetic characteristics with efficient advantages in terms of insulation

A. Slabs
B. Base protection
(1/2 feet from
perforated wall)
C. Water-repellant
mortar
D. Thermal insulation.

USES OF POLYMER CONCRETE

These are some areas in which polymer concrete can be
economically used.
Flooring & pavement : Industrial and commercial flooring,
warehouses, factories,
stairways, hospitals, garages, railway
platforms, airport runways etc.
Water proofing : The low permeability of polymer concrete
allows it to be used in swimming pools, water storage tanks,
septic tanks, ship decks, basements etc.
Patch & repair works : New mortar will not stick well to old
concrete without polymer modification. so, we have the best
option to use polymer concrete as a binder which will rest
economical too.
Decorative overlays : Polymer concrete offers very smooth
surface. so, now a days it is widely used in wall coatings and
textured building finishes.

ADVANTAGES OF POLYMER
CONCRETE

Rapid curing at ambient temperatures.

High tensile, flexural, andcompressive strengths.
Good adhesion to most surfaces.
Good long-term durability with respect to freeze and
thaw cycles.
Low permeability to water and aggressive solutions.
Good chemical resistance.
Good resistance against corrosion.
Lightweight.
May be used in regular wood and steel formwork.
Allows use of regular water reduce agents

DIS-ADVANTAGES OF POLYMER
CONCRETE

The monomers can be volatile, combustible, and toxic.

Initiators, which are used as catalysts, are combustible and

harmful to human skin. The promoters and accelerators are
also dangerous.

Polymer concrete also cost significantly more than

conventional concrete.

Suppliers

Manufactures

Sunrise polymer & ind. (BARODA)

Build Core Chain

Indo cool engg. Services(CHEENAI)

Fairmate Chemicals

Shantara Ind.(BARODA)

Sugar polymer

Vasavibala Resin (CHEENAI)

REFRENCES

WWW.ULMAPOLIMERA.COM
POLYMER CONCRETE GUIDE
POLYMER CONCRETE WIKIPEDIA
REPAIR & REHABILITION OF STRUCTURE BY
ELLAN, EDWARDS & SHAW.
POLYMER CONCRETE WHITE PAPER