Properties of cementitious materials reinforced with alkali-resistant glass fibres as a suitable material for repair applications

The cement matrix reinforced with glass fibres was studied as a suitable material for the repair of damaged structures. Two approaches to mixture designs were tested: the first used a conventional mortar and the second with various cement-sand ratios to optimise the mixture. A compromise between the workability and high fibre ratio was achieved. Cement/sand ratio was found to be crucial for the workability of the mixes, with optimal values within the range 0.4-0.5. Three fibre lengths: 3, 6, and 12 mm were tested. Compression and flexural tests were carried out as well as the measurements of shrinkage evolution, which is a critical factor. Improvement was observed in the flexural behaviour of glass fi bres reinforced cement mortars when the fibre length was increased to 12 mm with a glass fibre content of 2%. However, the compressive strength decreased with higher fibre content.