Strengthening concrete beams with fiberglass reinforced polymer layers

Through this article the study being done at the Faculty of Engineering of Rosario, referring to the use of sheets pultruded Reinforced Polymer Fiberglass (GRP) to increase the bending strength of reinforced concrete beams is presented, THESE layers are one of the elements of compound materials most commonly used in these type of reinforcements. The material most widely distributed worldwide that constitutes it is the carbon fibers, but its high cost discourages the use in the repair of structures in the Argentine market. One of the goals of this research program is to check the possibility of replacing such sheets by fiberglass elements of Argentinean production and significantly cheaper. The results of the tests demonstrated the feasibility of this alternative. In addition, the increased thickness of the sheets of fiberglass allows the use of additional bolted anchors, which give the system supporting capacity post critical and ductility, much needed features, for example, for structures in seismic zone

Cellular Concrete Bricks with Recycled Expanded Polystyrene Aggregate

Cellular concrete bricks were obtained by using a lightweight mortar with recycled expanded polystyrene aggregate instead of sandy materials. After determining the block properties (absorption, compressive strength, and tensile stresses), it was found that this brick meets the requirements of the masonry standards used in Mexico. The obtained material is lighter than the commercial ones, which facilitates their rapid elaboration, quality control, and transportation. It is less permeable, which helps prevent moisture formation retaining its strength due to the greater adherence shown with dry polystyrene. It was more flexible, which makes it less vulnerable to cracking walls due to soil displacements. Furthermore, it is economical, because it uses recyclable material and has properties that prevent deterioration increasing its useful life. We recommend the use of the fully dry EP under a dry environment to obtain the best properties of brick