Energy Consumption and Erosion Mechanism of Polyester Fiber Reinforced Cement Composite in Wind-blown Sand Environments

Abstract

Considering the economic and environmental benefits associated with the recycling of polyester (PET) fibres, it is vital to study the application of fibre-reinforced cement composites. According to the characteristics of the wind-blown sand environment in Inner Mongolia, the erosion resistance of the polyester fibre-reinforced cement composites (PETFRCC) with different PET fibre contents to various erosion angles, velocities and sand particle flows was investigated by the gas-blast method. Based on the actual conditions of sandstorms in Inner Mongolia, the sand erosion parameters required for testing were calculated by the similarity theory. The elastic-plastic model and rigid plastic model of PETFRCC and cement mortar were established, and the energy consumption mechanism of the model under particle impact was analyzed. The experimental results indicate that the microstructure of PETFRCC rafter hydration causes a spring-like buffering effect, and the deformation of PETFRCC under the same impact load is slightly smaller than that of cement mortar, and the damage mechanism of PETFRCC is mainly characterized by fiber deformation and slight brittle spalling of matrix. And under the most unfavorable conditions of the erosion, the erosion rate of 0.5PETFRCC is about 57.69% lower than that of cement mortar, showing better erosion resistance.

Keywords

wind-blown sand environment / erosion resistance / polyester fibre-reinforced cement composite / energy consumption mechanism / erosion mechanism