Effect of high temperature and type of cooling on some mechanical properties of cement mortar

Mortar of cement as construction materials subjected sometimes to high temperature. Some of properties of this mortar being studied after this effect. The effect of high temperature 100, 200, 400 and 700°C (exposed for two hrs.) on some mechanical properties (compressive and flexural strength) of two groups of cement mortar samples (with and without the addition of crushed bricks and superplasticizer as modifying materials) has been studied. Two methods of cooling samples by air and by water for 1/2 hr. was used, then tested after 3, 7 and 28 days. The results showed that the compressive and flexural strength for reference mix exposed to 700°C and water cooling decreased by 65.3 % and 64.7%, respectively, compared with their reference mix tested at 20°C in 28 days. While mixes containing 100% of crushed brick as an additive and air cooling decreases by 12.3% and 9% of their compressive and flexural strength, respectively compared with the mixes tested at 20°C in 28 days. Also showed that the decreases in flexural strength for no sand mixes containing 100% of crushed brick and 4% of superplasticizer exposed to 700°C and then water cooling was 28.2% compared to those for reference mixes tested at 20°C