Thermal properties of polymer concrete using glycerol methacrylate/styrene system at low temperature

This paper describes the results of thermal fracture test and flexural test of polymer concrete using glycerol methacrylate/styrene system (GM/St) as binder. This concrete can harden at low temperatures. The test also includes polymer concrete using unsaturated polyester resin(UP) and cement concrete. The thermal fracture test was carried out at a constant rate of cooling in order to record stress-temperature curves. It was concluded that the thermal stresses of GM/St mixtures cured at a low temperature were smaller than those in the same mixtures and UP mixtures cured at a normal temperature. Those polymer concretes could resist the thermal stress at low temperatures until -40°C and did not fracture. The flexural strengths of those are found constant regardless of temperatures. On the other hand, cement concrete was fractured by a smaller thermal change from the initial temperature than that of polymer mixtures.