Influence of NaCl Freeze–Thaw Cycles on the Mechanical Strength of Reactive Powder Concrete with the Assembly Unit of Sulphoaluminate Cement and Ordinary Portland Cement

The influence of sulphoaluminate cement and the dosage of polypropylene fibers on the basic mechanical strengths (compressive and flexural strengths) of reactive powder concrete (RPC) cured for 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, 14 d and 28 d is studied in this research. The content of sulphoaluminate cement ranges from 0% to 100% and the dosages of polypropylene fibers are 0%~3.5%, respectively. Moreover, the mechanical properties (compressive and flexural strengths), the relative dynamic elastic modulus (RDEM) and the chloride permeability of specimens with 50% sulphoaluminate cement and different dosages of polypropylene fibers are determined after the specimens are exposed to different NaCl freeze–thaw cycles. The water–binder ratio in this study is 0.25, and the sand-to-binder ratio is 1.25. Results show that the relationship between the mechanical strengths of RPC at early curing ages (lower than 7 d) and the sulphoaluminate cement content is a linear function with a positive correlation. However, when the curing age reaches 14 d, the compressive and flexural strengths decrease in the form of a linear function with the addition of sulphoaluminate cement. The correlation between the mechanical strengths and polypropylene fiber volume is a positive quadratic function. However, the mass loss rate and flexural strength loss rate increased in the form of a quadratic function, and RDEM shows a negative quadratic function with the freeze–thaw cycles. Moreover, the compressive strength loss rate increases linearly with the freeze–thaw cycle. The addition of polypropylene fibers can effectively improve the freeze–thaw resistance of cement mortar with an assembly unit of ordinary cement and sulphoaluminate cement.