Improved Confinement of Concrete Using SBR Latex

Abstract

Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR) Latex is a modified styrene butadiene copolymer emulsion primarily designed to mix with cement compositions. It is used for external rendering, tunnel coating, concrete repair and floor screeds and coatings. Rock Finish (RF) 5 is a modified mortar used as a fairing coat. The present research has been made to determine the performance of concrete cylinders confined with coating of SBR mixed with RF 5. Testing parameters include compressive strength and ultimate load along with yield load, ductility, secant stiffness and energy dissipation. A test pattern of axial load was adopted to subject the cylinders in compression until failure. The thin film of the latex was applied as exterior coating of varying thickness to plain concrete cylinders of uniform dimensions and varying strengths. The experimental results of the specimen were compared with control samples of the cylinders. It was determined that as the thickness of the SBR coating was increased, performance of the selected parameters was improved significantly including both the compressive strength and ductility as well. However, the effect of SBR coating on the concrete of selected varying strengths was not significant. The tested specimens were modeled in ANSYS and agreement was found in the analytical and experimental results. The results of the study are helpful to understand the effect of SBRs on concrete confinement. The conclusions of the study are available to the researchers to further study the effects of SBRs on varied concrete strength. The results will also be helpful to engineers of construction industry involved in retrofitting/strengthening of concrete