Mechanical Performance of Reinforced Epoxy-Grouted Concrete Interlayer Systems Under Complex Loading and Wet–Dry Cycles

Concrete structures are prone to cracking during service, and epoxy grouting is a widely adopted technique for structural intervention. However, the inherent brittleness and poor durability of neat epoxy under complex loading and environmental exposure remain critical challenges. This study systematically evaluates the mechanical performance of epoxy-grouted concrete interlayer systems modified by carbon fiber (CF), glass fiber (GF), and polyethylene microspheres (PE). A comprehensive experimental program was conducted, including compression, three-point bending, and Brazilian splitting tests at three loading angles, combined with digital image correlation for surface strain monitoring. The effects of grout thickness and wet–dry cycles were systematically investigated. Results demonstrate that reinforcement modification helps to improve the performance of grouted concrete, with optimal behavior highly dependent on loading mode. CF-reinforced specimens with strong interfacial bonding exhibit the highest compressive strength, which is 150% higher than the bearing capacity of intact concrete, but are prone to brittle fracture under loading involving tension-shear interaction. GF reinforced specimens with moderate interfacial bonding exhibit better load-bearing capacity under tensile-shear stress interaction, reaching a normalized splitting peak load of 0.95 at a grouting thickness of 5 mm. PE-reinforced specimens with weak interfacial bonding provide relatively extensive energy dissipation. A 3 mm grouting layer shows favorable performance among the tested thicknesses, balancing load transfer enhancement and defect control. A single wet–dry cycle temporarily improves performance, possibly due to epoxy post-curing and pore filling, whereas repeated cycling generates cumulative micro-damage. GF- and CF-reinforced systems demonstrate the most stable resistance to short-term wet–dry conditioning. These findings provide guidance for loading-mode-dependent reinforcement selection in epoxy grouting applications.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Materials
Published
2026-08-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19163467
Primary Topic
Structural Behavior of Reinforced Concrete
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Mechanical Performance of Reinforced Epoxy-Grouted Concrete Interlayer Systems Under Complex Loading and Wet–Dry Cycles

Jingyuan Ma, Yidang Pan
Materials
Structural Behavior of Reinforced Concrete
article

Mechanical Performance of Reinforced Epoxy-Grouted Concrete Interlayer Systems Under Complex Loading and Wet–Dry Cycles

Jingyuan Ma, Yidang Pan
article en

Abstract

Concrete structures are prone to cracking during service, and epoxy grouting is a widely adopted technique for structural intervention. However, the inherent brittleness and poor durability of neat epoxy under complex loading and environmental exposure remain critical challenges. This study systematically evaluates the mechanical performance of epoxy-grouted concrete interlayer systems modified by carbon fiber (CF), glass fiber (GF), and polyethylene microspheres (PE). A comprehensive experimental program was conducted, including compression, three-point bending, and Brazilian splitting tests at three loading angles, combined with digital image correlation for surface strain monitoring. The effects of grout thickness and wet–dry cycles were systematically investigated. Results demonstrate that reinforcement modification helps to improve the performance of grouted concrete, with optimal behavior highly dependent on loading mode. CF-reinforced specimens with strong interfacial bonding exhibit the highest compressive strength, which is 150% higher than the bearing capacity of intact concrete, but are prone to brittle fracture under loading involving tension-shear interaction. GF reinforced specimens with moderate interfacial bonding exhibit better load-bearing capacity under tensile-shear stress interaction, reaching a normalized splitting peak load of 0.95 at a grouting thickness of 5 mm. PE-reinforced specimens with weak interfacial bonding provide relatively extensive energy dissipation. A 3 mm grouting layer shows favorable performance among the tested thicknesses, balancing load transfer enhancement and defect control. A single wet–dry cycle temporarily improves performance, possibly due to epoxy post-curing and pore filling, whereas repeated cycling generates cumulative micro-damage. GF- and CF-reinforced systems demonstrate the most stable resistance to short-term wet–dry conditioning. These findings provide guidance for loading-mode-dependent reinforcement selection in epoxy grouting applications.

MaterialsVol. 19(16)
Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (CN)
Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province
Sustainable cities and communities
Openalex Percentile: Top 13%
Structural Behavior of Reinforced Concrete
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.