MIX DESIGN OF POLYMER CONCRETE FOR POTHOLE REPAIR

The increased traffic load due to rapid urbanization causes pavement distresses resulting reduction of service life of flexible pavement. Pavement distress is harmful to road user and vehicle, and it causes accident. Polymer concrete having several advantages can be considered as alternative material for pothole repair. Thus, this study has focused on mix design development of polymer concrete through various performances. In this study, orthophthalic unsaturated polyester resin as binder, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) as hardener, acetone and lacquer thinner as diluent, fly ash, silica fume, limestone coarse and fine aggregates, and limestone quarry dust as filler have been used. Three different aggressive solutions such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium chloride (NaCl) and sulphuric acid (H2SO4) are used to determine resistance capacity of polymer concrete for Mix-1 polymer concrete. The recommended Mix-1 of polymer concrete is resin with 304 kg, acetone with 16 kg, aggregate with 1,600 kg and fly ash with 320 kg for one cubic meter and the aggregate proportion is 60% coarse aggregate size 10.00 – 5.00 mm and 40% fine aggregate size 3.35 – 1.18 mm. The compressive strength using 100 dia.X200mm cylindrical are 12.12 MPa at age of 7-hour and 44.93MPa at age of 7-day. The resistance capacity of Mix-1 polymer concrete under 90-day continuous immersion in aggressive chemical solutions are noticed through compressive strength test. Polymer concrete has shown strength reduction over 90- day immersion with 31.18% in water, 31.32% in sodium chloride, 34.50% in sulphuric acid and 44.38% in sodium hydroxide solution compared with control sample