Applied sciences Department at the University of Technology grants PHD to the student Mohammed Taher for his dissertation "Study the Behavior of Polymer Concrete Using Recycled Aggregates"

The researcher in this work showed that Polymer concrete (PC) can be defined as a composite material in which the aggregates are bonded together in a matrix of polymeric binders. The composite does not contain a hydrated cement paste, and may become Portland cement that has been used as filler within the polymer.

The aim of this current work is to produce composite materials named polymer concrete (PC) and to solve some of the solid waste problems posed by demolition and construction materials.

The physical and mechanical properties of this polymer concrete were investigated. Two types of polymeric resins were used to prepare the polymer concrete including Unsaturated Polyester (UP) and Epoxy (EP). These resins were utilized as a binder instead of Portland cement which used for cement concrete. The weight percentages of resins were changed within (20, 25 and 30) wt. % to manufacture this polymer concrete. Also, polymer blend were prepared within (20, 25 and 30) wt. % which contained (50 wt. %) of polyester and (50 wt. %) of epoxy. Then UP concrete reinforced by (5%) Glass Fiber (GF) and (5%) Silica Fume (SF) was prepared respectively.

For comparing were prepared ordinary Portland cement concrete (PCC) as reference, mixes were made with cement to sand ratios of (1:2), the adopted water to cement (w/c) ratios were (0.35) for reference concrete, then other types of aggregates were mixes in same cement to aggregates ratio within range of water to cement ratio for getting the suitable workability.

The discussion committee was chaired by Prof.Dr.AbdulQader Ismael form Al-Anbar University, Prof.Dr.Widad Hamdi from University of Baghdad and Asst.Prof.Dr.Shihab Ahmed and Asst.Prof.Dr.Wafaa Mahdi as members, Asst.Prof.Dr.Awham Mohammed as supervisor.