Mortar type influence on mechanical performance of repaired reinforced concrete beams

Abstract Concrete structures deterioration is a current issue in civil construction and repair works are necessary in many situations, and to make it there are different commercial mortars. In order to improve the repair performance, new materials have been studied. This paper shows the results of an experimental study made with damaged reinforced concrete beams repaired with two different repair mortars: a commercial polymer-modified mortar (PM) and an alkali-activated mortar (AAM). The influence of the type of repair material and the repair length were investigated. The mortars properties showed that AAM had better mechanical properties and bond strength than PM. Both repair mortars (PM or AAM) had good performance as repair material, and the beams had flexural strength results similar to those achieved by reference beams. The study shows that the length of the repair in concrete is an important factor to be considered in repair works. The results show that AAM had good mechanical performance, and it is possible to use AAM as an efficient repair material in concrete.