Polymeric fibre adhesion to the cementitious matrix related to the fibres type, water to cement ratio and curing time

In this study adhesion of some polymeric fibres to a cement matrix was evaluated by both theoretical and experimental approach. The adhesion results are interpreted in terms of fibre nature, water to cement ratio and curing. It was found that practical work of adhesion (G) is ten times larger than thermodynamic work of adhesion (W) between fibre and cement matrix. By employing adhesion theory to the composite system, fibre/cement interactions are better described. The results indicated that chemical adhesion between cement matrix and fibres decreased with decrease in water to cement ratio while mechanical bonding increased. The application of adhesion theory to cement based composite leads to calculation of a new parameter which is called energy dissipation (loss function). It was found that the loss function of the fibre–cement system increases more than 21% by increase in the curing time of the matrix from 14 days to 28 days.