Application of polymer concrete containing industrial bottom ashes in footing plates for energy poles

Abstract

The paper presents a procedure of preparing, molding and testing polymer concrete containing 10 – 60% of bottom ash from power plant fluid circulating fluidized bed boiler (CFB)– the rest of the filler was a standard sand. The tests of static bending and mass changes after exposition to acid, base and salt were conducted. Also mass changes after freeze-thaw tests were registered. The tested polymer concretes showed no problems during manufacturing procedures. Compositions containing 10 - 20% by weight of the ash showed higher flexural strength than polymer concrete containing 100% sand and it was about 35 MPa. Relatively small changes in mass (less than 0.5% excluding base exposition for which it was less than 3%) caused by environmental factors, in general consistent with theoretical predictions, allow us to assume that the tested materials will meet the strength requirements for the footplates. It is studied in second part of the set. According to the environmental resistance and description of a whole designing and production process. It was found that the concrete containing 10%wt of the ash is optimal material for producing the plates. It has showed the best resistance to environmental aging from all tested concretes. The designed mold system is simple and reliable - it is applicable for serial production of the plates in industrial conditions. Visual quality of the produced plates was very good. In general, polymer concrete once again turned out to be very good material, applicable in various elements for construction industry.