Soundness in Mortars of Portland Cement with Substitutions Using Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) and Corn Starch

Abstract:

The use of dehydrated fibres of cactus, Opuntia ficus-indica (FN), and starch (corn starch,Zea Mays (MZ)) as partial substitutes for the total mass of Portland Cement (CP) in the making ofmortar, aims at modifying its physical and mechanical properties, reducing the amount of cementand the CO2 emission. Four mixtures of CP mortar were designed incorporating a superplasticizeradditive with a water/cement weight ratio of 0.68. To compare the results, there was a controlmortar; two mixtures with partial substitutions using fibres of FN, 0.5 and 1.5% (in weight of CP)respectively; and a substituted mixture with 2% of corn starch plus 0.5% of cactus fibre (MZ - FN).The test age was 180 days. The specimens were subjected to an accelerated attack of sodiumsulphate, quantifying the electric resistivity (ER) and the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV). Theresults indicate that the substitution of the materials, remarkably densify the cement matrix, whichresults in the improvement of the physical properties and the durability.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 789)
• Pages: 150-154
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.789.150
• Online since: November 2018
• Authors: Victor Hugo Blancas-Herrera, Jorge Alberto Pacheco-Segovia, Wilfrido Martínez-Molina, Hugo Luis Chávez-García, Mauricio Arreola-Sanchez, Elia Mercedes Alonso Guzmán*
• Keywords: Durability, Fibers, Mortars, Pozzolan, Substitution

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