Properties of a new polymer concrete

A new polymer concrete was developed by adding unsaturated polyester resin and emulsifier into concrete. The new polymer concrete exhibits high strength of up to 69 MPa (10,000 psi) for compressive strength and up to 17 MPa (2500 psi) for flexural strength. The new product also demonstrates high corrosion resistance, impervious, and fast setting characteristics. More importantly, the new polymer concrete costs about 13 cents per pound whereas the cost for polymer concrete is in the range of $1.50 to $2.00 per pound. This makes it feasible economically to use the new polymer concrete in construction projects especially for marine environment and bridge deck protection. In addition to these improved properties of the new polymer concrete, the paper also presents other mechanical properties such as tensile strength, fracture, and fatigue characteristics of the new polymer concrete.