Effect of sand addition on properties of fiber-reinforced cement composites

The effect of sand addition on the mechanical properties of cast and extruded polyvinyl acetate fiber-reinforced cement composites was investigated. The addition of sand increased the strength of the plain cement paste, but decreased the mechanical performance of the fiberreinforced cement composites. To understand the behavior of the composites, microstructural properties such as fiber dispersion, alignment, and composite porosity were investigated and statistically quantified. The reduction in the performance of the composites with sand was found to be a result of the differences in fiber dispersion, composite porosity, and interaction between the fiber and the matrix. .Fiber clumping, increase in the size and number ofber-free areas, and higher matrix porosity were observed in the composites when sand was used.