Controlling Bond Characteristics by Impregnation

Bond in textile reinforced concrete composites is dependent on numerous mechanisms associated with the bonding of individual yarns as well as with the reinforcing fabric, both which can either lead to enhancement in bond due to anchoring effects, or reduction in bond resulting from limitation in the penetration of the matrix into the fabric itself or into the spaces within the multifilament yarns. In this paper the processes involved are resolved and reviewed, and quantitative data is provided to estimate their influence. It is demonstrated that effects due to fabric geometry and production processes can sometimes be greater than effects induced by the matrix-yarn interactions. Thus, the effect of fabric structure should be accounted for in the modeling of bonding and in the optimization of the composite, and there is a need to address simultaneously the nature of the yarns, the geometry of the fabric and the production process.