Characterizing and Optimizing polyurethane cementitious composite mixtures

In industrial areas like manufacturing units, logistics centers, and warehouses, floors are exposed to heavy traffic along with high mechanical loads and possible chemicals contact. This promotes the use of polymeric cementitious flooring compositions such as epoxy resin-based flooring compositions and polyurethane (PU) cementitious systems. The latter showed outstanding mechanical properties and do not suffer from the drawbacks associated with epoxy resin-based compositions. PU system is composed of two different binding systems: polyurethane (diisocyanate) binders and hydraulic binders. This resulted in a very complex system wherein during curing of the components of two binders, a number of reactions occur simultaneously. However, some undesirable cross interactions between the two systems (such as isocyanate compound reaction with water) may jeopardize superior performance. Hence, the proposed project aims initially to fully characterize the main composition for PU flooring products. This will be followed by evaluating fresh and hardened properties under laboratory and simulated filed-like conditions. Based on the primary results potential improvements to overcome drawbacks and defects will be proposed and examined.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ahmed Soliman

Student:

Partner:

Diamondstone

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Construction and infrastructure

University:

Concordia University

Program: