Assessment of Different Classes of Polymer Concrete: Comparative Mechanical Properties and New Empirical Equations for Behavior Modeling

The replacement and rehabilitation of bridges is increasingly needed for aging infrastructure, which motivates accelerated bridge construction to minimize traffic disruption and use resources efficiently. While ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) has been widely used in field joints of prefabricated bridge systems, polymer concrete (PC) has also attracted interest because of its rapid polymerization and favorable early-age mechanical properties. However, most current PC applications remain non-structural, and broader structural use requires improved understanding of its mechanical properties and durability-related behavior. The objective of this study is to experimentally evaluate the mechanical and durability properties of six PC mixtures representing four classes: epoxy-, polyester-, polymethyl methacrylate-, and vinyl ester-based PC. The investigated properties include compressive strength, modulus of elasticity (MOE), flexural strength, uniaxial tensile strength, shrinkage, and abrasion resistance. Results show that most PC types exhibit rapid early-age strength development and superior compressive, flexural, and tensile strengths relative to typical conventional concrete values. However, lower MOE values are observed due to the polymer-dominated binder system. Using experimental results from different PC types, new generalized empirical correlations were developed to relate MOE, flexural strength, and uniaxial tensile strength to compressive strength within the tested range of PC mixtures. The proposed relations can be used to estimate properties for structural elements incorporating PC. The study also explored and demonstrated the enhancement of PC strength and MOE using different coarse aggregate types and grading. Overall, the findings support the potential use of PC as a structural material and provide material-level guidance for future PC design and performance prediction.