EFFECT OF CEMENTITIOUS SOLUTIONS ON THE MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF GFRP COMPOSITES

This work intends to study the effect of cementitious solutions on the mechanical performance of glass fibre composites. For this purpose, the specimens were submerged into two distinct solutions, both used in civil engineering: metakaolin and cement mortars. After mortar hardening, the samples were kept at room temperature and humidity, during 90 days. Additionally, to study the cement effect combined with water, some cement mortar samples were immersed into water, at room temperature, during the same time. It is possible to conclude that the flexural strength is affected by the exposure to the cement solutions, but the results are dramatically affected when the water is combined with these solutions.