Performance Evaluation of Polymer Modified Ferrocement Mortar

The use of ferrocement as a repairing material continues to attract researches. The idea of addition of polymer in ferrocement is gaining attention recently. In spite of the excellent characteristics of ferrocement, their application on building repairs requires special concentration, since this material differs from other conventional repair materials. This article presents the strength results for mortars containing different amounts of polymer and meshes indicating the applicability of these mortars as a repairing material. To complement this study, the important material properties of polymer modified ferrocement mortars, were investigated and the optimum polymer cement ratio of mortar along the volume fraction of meshes were suggested. Addition of polymers increases fluidity of mortars and also the workability due to dispersing effect of polymer particles, action of the surfactants contained as emulsifiers and entrained air in the mix. Such improvements justify its study towards its applications in rehabilitation, repair and strengthening cases. The combination of polymer with ferrocement also results in excellent properties, which are ideal for repairs requiring high performance.