Mechanical Properties of Cement Mortar: Development of Structure-Property Relationships structure-property relationships;mechanical properties;cement mortar;ITZ;fine aggregates; Theoretical models for prediction of the mechanical properties of cement mortar are developed based on the morphology and interactions of cement hydration products, capillary pores and microcracks. The models account for intermolecular interactions involving the nano-scale calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) constituents of hydration products, and consider the effects of capillary pores as well as the microcracks within the hydrated cement paste and at the interfacial transition zone (ITZ). Cement mortar was modeled as a three-phase material composed of hydrated cement paste, fine aggregates and ITZ. The Hashin's bound model was used to predict the elastic modulus of mortar as a three-phase composite. Theoretical evaluation of fracture toughness indicated that the frictional pullout of fine aggregates makes major contribution to the fracture energy of cement mortar. Linear fracture mechanics principles were used to model the tensile strength of mortar. The predictions of theoretical models compared reasonably with empirical values.

This study presents the design and experimental evaluation of advanced corrosion protection coatings for application on prestressing strands which are the core constituents of prestressed concrete structures such as bridges. Variety of self-heal coatings embodying corrective and protective phenomena in response to the degrading effects of corrosion have been designed and tested in simulated aggressive weathering conditions. Standard 7-wire prestressing strands coated with self-heal epoxy, self-heal toughened epoxy and hybrid epoxy coating systems were subjected to salt fog spray up to a duration of 2500 h, and 3M CalCl₂, 3M NaOH, saturated Ca(OH)₂ solutions and distilled water up to 45 days duration. Furthermore, rust creepage of the coated prestressing strands was measured after extended exposure to aggressive corrosive environment. Bond strength of the self-heal epoxy coated prestressing strands was evaluated through pullout test using high-strength concrete.

Corrosion is a primary factor compromising the safety and service life of steel structures. Corrosion protection coatings are generally employed for protection of the steel structures that are exposed to different aggressive environments. This research evaluated the use of biobased ion exchangers as a sustainable means of improving corrosion protection coatings. Two base polymer coatings (vinyl and coal-tar epoxy) were considered. The following types and dosages of biobased ion exchangers were evaluated in these coatings: (i) strong-base ion exchange cellulose in OH, PO₄, SiO₃, BO₃, NO₂, SO₄ and NO₃ forms at 1% by weight of resin; (ii) weak-acid starch citrate ion exchanger in H form at 1 wt.%; and (iii) strong-base ion exchange cellulose in OH form at 2 wt.%. In addition, a strong-base ion exchange resin in OH form was considered at 1 and 2 wt.% as control. Different coating formulations were evaluated based on the outcomes of salt-fog corrosion, moisture resistance, pull-off strength, and abrasion resistance tests. The introduction of certain biobased ion exchangers in protective coatings was found to be an effective means of achieving improved levels of corrosion resistance, adhesion capacity, moisture stability and abrasion resistance.