Study of various reinforcing agents to enhance porous concrete properties

Abstract

This research aimed to make the porous pots to be composite materials. Reinforcement materials were added to the pot texture (matrix phase) To study the construction of concrete pieces with different types of reinforcing agents, such as clinker, lightweight brick, synthetic fiber sheet and carbon powder. and to compare the strength, durability and water permeability of the specimens and to find suitable reinforcing agents for the production of high strength non-perforated composite pots. Durable and able to drain to enhance the composite strength. In this study, lightweight brick chips, synthetic fiber sheet (large and small), and activated carbon were used as reinforcements. The porous-cement specimens were composed of cement, chipped stone, and water with a ratio of 1:3:0.4 by volume (F1). For the brick chip (F2) and the fiber sheet (large-F3, small-F4), the composite mixtures consisted of cement, chipped stone, water, and reinforcement with a ratio of 1:2:0.4:1 by volume. And then, the activated carbon powder was added into the F1 mixture with the 1, 2.5, and 5 percentages of cement weight (F5, 6, and 7, respectively). All components were mixed thoroughly and placed in a cylindrical mold with an 8 cm diameter and 10 cm height. The specimens were molded at 6 cm height. The specimens were left for curing for 14 days. After that, they were tested for their properties. The tested properties were water drainage, the change of appearance after being submerged under water for 30 days, The researcher conducted experiments from the following variables, the initial variable was porous plant pots, the dependent variable was water permeability, strength and durability of the workpiece in water, while the control variable was cement, water to cement ratio, mold size from The experiment turned out and compressive strength. The results of the water drainage showed that the percentages of water passing through were similar for all specimens, meaning that the water adsorption of all specimens was alike, despite the difference in the characters of the reinforcements. On the other hand, the drainage durations were different. F2-F4 took a long time for the water to pass through, compared with F1, while F5-F7 took a shorter time. After being submerged under water for 30 days, all specimens remained in the same shape, although some chips were found falling off in F2-4. No chip fell out from F1 and F5-7. For the compressive strength test, it was found that only F4 showed improved strength compared to F1, whereas the compressive strengths of the others were decreased. Finally, the F4 component was used to cast the porous cement pot with the size of 10 cm x 10 cm x 12.5 cm and 2.5 cm thickness. The pot was strong and good for water drainage.