Abstract
The structural properties and optimum blend ratios of sepiolite-reinforced cement composites are investigated. It is shown that the addition of 10% sepiolite (a natural clay mineral) fibers enhances the mechanical and physical properties of the mortar. In comparison to the ordinary Portland cement mix, improvements of 3.5%, 6.2% and 7.7% in compressive strength and 12.7%, 5.7% and 6.3% in bending strength values were respectively obtained for 2, 7 and 28 days. Based on the scanning electron microscope pictures, this enhancement is attributed to the modification of the rheology of the mortar through sepiolite fibers inducing a network structure within the cement matrix.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2135-2139 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Cement and Concrete Research |
Volume | 34 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Nov 2004 |
Keywords
- Compressive strength
- Fiber reinforcement
- Mineralizers
- Rheology
- SEM