Polymer Modified Concrete containing Unsaturated Polyester by different amounts of styrene

This article presents an experimental investigation of the mechanical and physical behaviors of Polymer Modified Concrete containing %2.5, 5%, 7.5% and %10 Unsaturated Polyester resin with %30, 37.5% and %45 styrene. Twelve mixtures were designed and compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, water absorption, stress-strain curve, modulus of elasticity, energy absorption capacity, failure crack mode and SEM analysis were examined. The results indicated, by replacing cement with Unsaturated Polyester, the compressive and tensile strengths and the water absorption decreased about %15 to %50, but the strain and the energy absorption were increased significantly up to %110 and %30 respectively. Also, adding the amount of styrene in resin led to increase both the compressive strength and energy absorption capacity up to 25%, but according to SEM images it led the formation of a thick polymeric region with compressed layers in ITZ, cause to decrease in tensile strength and water absorption down to 25%.