TABLE OF CONTENTS Principally developed as a substitute for marble, the use of polymer concrete increased in popularity from its initial conception throughout the 20th century [1]. The use of polymer concrete first attracted a degree of interest within the construction industry during the early 1950s. As news of the superior properties achieved during the initial testing procedures spread, the number of research projects established to further assess the performance and uses of polymer concrete escalated. Subsequently during the early 1970s a vast array of field-testing was undertaken and the use of the material increased especially during the 1980s where it was frequently used to repair pre-cast Portland cement concrete structures, i.e., bridges, motorways and pavements [2, 3].
Polymer concrete has been utilised as a replacement for standard concrete and cementitious repair mortars due to its ability to overcome the primary disadvantages of the aforementioned materials. The physical properties such as durability and enhanced chemical resistance were quickly recognised [4, 5]. Structural stability when exposed to the freeze-thawing process was also advantageous as degeneration of the cementitious microstructure when exposed to sub-zero environmental conditions and subsequent thawing cycle is a common problem with Portland cement systems [6].
Polymer concrete/mortars are basically produced by combining thermosetting resin(s) with grading aggregates and has been used in one form or another since the 1950s [1, 4, 7-10]. Although not containing any actual Portland cement this material is referred to as a concrete due to its actual definition. The word concrete describes an aggregate bound...
