Title: On permeable porosity in bio-inspired fibre reinforced cementitious composites

Authors: N. Banthia; M. Sappakittipakorn; Z. Jiang

Addresses: Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2024-6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada. ' Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2024-6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada. ' Key Laboratory of Advanced Civil Engineering Materials of Ministry of Education, Tongji University, No.1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China

Abstract: Permeability plays an important role in governing the durability of concrete in deleterious environments. Previous permeability tests using water as the permeating medium have indicated that the addition of cellulose fibre is effective in reducing water permeability both in the presence and absence of stress and thereby making concrete more durable. In this paper, further evidence was sought of pore-refinement in concrete reinforced with cellulose fibre using cryoporometry (CP) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) methods. Cryoporometry was carried out using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Two volume fractions - 0.1% and 0.3% - of a treated cellulose fibre were investigated. The results indicated a definite pore refinement due to cellulose fibre addition and a related improvement in durability.

Keywords: fibre reinforcement; theroporometry; mercury porosimetry; pore size distribution; permeable porosity; stress; bio-inspired composites; fibre reinforced cementitious composites; water permeability; concrete durability; reinforced concrete; cryoporometry; cellulose fibre.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMSS.2012.050451

International Journal of Sustainable Materials and Structural Systems, 2012 Vol.1 No.1, pp.29 - 41

Published online: 30 Aug 2014 *

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