SUPER STRENGTH CEMENT PASTE MATRIX COMPOSITE MATERIALS THROUGH MICROSTRUCTURAL CONDITIONING

THE LIMITATIONS TO THE MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL AND DURABILITY PROPERTIES OF HYDRAULIC CEMENT-BASED CONCRETES ARISE FROM THE CAPILLARY AND GEL POROSITY OF THE CEMENT PASTE AND THE NATURE OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION. WITH THE ADVENT OF POLYMER IMPREGNATION TECHNIQUES, FIBER REINFORCING METHODOLOGIES, HIGH-TECHNOLOGY FIBERS SUCH AS CARBON AND ARAMID FIBERS, IT NOW BECOMES POSSIBLE TO DEVELOP A SUPER STRENGTH MATERIAL UTILIZING THESE MATERIALS AND METHODS SYNERGISTICALLY. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ABROAD AND THE WORK ALREADY DONE IN THE U.S.A. ALONG THESE PATHS INDICATE THE HIGH FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A SUPER STRENGTH MATERIAL IF THE HYDRAULIC CEMENT PASTE MATRIX CAN BE OPTIMIZED. THIS PROPOSAL PUTS FORTH SOME IDEAS WHICH ARE UNIQUE IN SEEKING SUCH A HIGH DEGREE OF OPTIMIZATION OF THE MATRIX THAN HAS SO FAR BEEN ATTAINED.