Abstract
Generally, the steam curing method is adopted as an accelerated curing method of cement concrete products, but very few reports concerning the properties of steam-cured polyester resin concrete have appeared until now, in fear of hydrolysis of polyester resin by hot water or steam. In precast polyester resin concrete factories, the relatively expensive heat cure method by circulation of hot air is usually adopted for curing of products. The objective of this study is to examine the possibility of applying steam cure to polyester resin concrete in the same manner as cement concrete.
Polyester resin concrete (polymer concrete) is mixed with variable catalyst or accelerator content for liquid resin in selected mix proportion, and the resin concrete specimens are prepared under various steam-curing conditions. The cured resin concrete specimens are tested for tensile and compressive strengths. The test results indicate that, in the catalytic system for ordinary temperature cure, the strength development of polyester resin concrete is accelerated by steam cure without noticeably harmful hydrolysis of polyester resin observed.
