IMPROVING THE ABRASION RESISTANCE OF MORTAR BY ADDING LATEX AND CARBON-FIBERS

The abrasion resistance of mortar was found to be significantly improv ed by the addition of latex (20% by weight of cement), and further imp roved by the further addition of short carbon fibers (0.27 vol.%). Bot h effects relate to the increase in tensile strength. The abrasion res istance was also improved by the addition of silica fume (15% by weigh t of cement), due to the increase in tensile modulus. The abrasion res istance was better for mortar with silica fume than mortar with latex, but was worse for mortar with silica fume than mortar with latex and carbon fibers. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.