SUMMARY OF DURABILITY TESTS
The durability tests are carried out on Material One
GRG (Glass Reinforced Gypsum) and PGRC (Polymer Glass Reinforced Cement).
Conducted by Intron B.V. and SABC.
These results are summarised as follows:
A.
Curing for 90 days: This period of time was chosen to ensure
that the three selected materials cured adequately.
B.
Test boards were cut from large production sheets. The test boards for
each system were placed in the three environmental conditions
listed
prior to being tested. The flexural test was ASTM C947. The
most severe
of the conditioning environments in the 'wet' i.e. ten days
immersion
in water at 20°C.
C.
Test boards were tested in the weather-o-meter for 400
cycles. This
equates to 20 years natural weathering.
D.
After completing the 400 cycles in the weathering-o-meter
only the Material One and PGRC test board remained suitable for further
testing.
These test boards were then subjected to the same three
environmental
conditions and thereafter tested for flexural and tensile
properties.
Again, the most severe conditioning environment would be wet,
especially after having been through 400 cycles in the weather-o-meter.
E.
The density of the composites is reported for two reasons:
- Density is an indication of the quality of the composite as produced.
- Density reflects the effect of the conditioning environment on the material
system, i.e. moisture content.
- Typical density for Material One before conditioning is 1600/1680 Kg
/m³.
Typical density for PGRC before conditioning is 2060/2160 Kg /m³.
The density for PGRC is related to the polymer content and sand / cement
ratio.
F.
The property that was not report but is part of the flexural and tensile tests
is the strain capacity of the composites. Material One maintains a high
strain capacity after conditioning in all environments.
G.
In summary, one should focus on the test results for each system reported under
'wet' criteria, this being the most extreme condition.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
LOP - Limited of Proportionality
The amount of load the composites can absorb before the first crack occurs;
matrix strength; flexural yield of composite before first crack.
MOR - Modulus of Rupture
Indicates the effectiveness of the fibre reinforcement; composite strength;
flexural ultimate; point at which composite can take no more loading.
Effects of cure on flexural properties
Laminate:
13% wt. Fibre content: 25mm fibre minimum length. Cured for 2 days at 20°C.
Stored 5 days at 40°C 30% R.H.
|
UNIT |
2
days 20°C |
5
days 40°C |
|
Density Kg/m³ |
1746 |
1714 |
|
MOR MPa |
32.2 |
70.2 |
|
LOP MPa |
17.9 |
24.7 |
Influence of fibre content on flexural properties:
|
|
|
|
UNIT |
13% wt. |
10% |
|
Density Kg/m³ |
1714 |
1714 |
|
MOR MPa |
70.2 |
40.6 |
|
LOP MPa |
24.7 |
14.0 |
NOTE:
Test results are the average of six test coupons from the same board where three coupons are tested mould face up and three coupons mould face down in the test jig. Tests conducted
by intron B.V. and SABS (an independent testing laboratory).
DURABILITY TEST
The durability of the Material One system is tested
using sample boards produced by the laminated process with 13%
by weight glass fibre reinforcement.
As a reference in these tests, sample boards of unmodified
glass fibre reinforced
alpha-hemihydrates gypsum (GRG) and polymer modified glass
fibre reinforced
cement (PGRC with high polymer content and "E" fibre
reinforcement)
were also tested.
After 90 days of curing the flexural strength of the boards
were tested in three environmental conditions as follows:
- Air dry (20°C and 65% RH)
- Wet (+ 10 day soak in 20°C water)
- Dry (+ 10 day drying at 40°C for gypsum or 100°C for cement)
Flexural properties of composite after 90 days curing in
various environmental
conditions.
|
UNIT |
WET |
AIR DRY |
DRY |
|
|
M1 |
GRG |
PGRC |
M1 |
GRG |
PGRC |
M1 |
GRG |
PGRC |
|
Density Kg/m³ |
1840 |
2050 |
2115 |
1762 |
1824 |
2034 |
1698 |
1810 |
1954 |
|
MOR MPa |
28.7 |
10.3 |
23.8 |
50.9 |
26.7 |
22.1 |
65.9 |
22.9 |
24.8 |
|
LOP MPa |
12.5 |
5.1 |
13.3 |
13.9 |
12.3 |
16.0 |
22.9 |
11.5 |
17.9 |
NOTE :
When tested wet the GRG board loses over half its strength.
From these results it appears the flexural strength of all
three composites is dependent on moisture content.
ACCELERATED AGING DURABILITY
A weather-o-meter has been used to accelerate the effects of
weathering on Material One.
The boards tested have cured for 90 days according to the
regime described earlier. The test procedure was : heating the
specimens for five hours with a combination of IR and UV light
(to test polymer decomposition) and one hour of rain as one
cycle for a total of 400 cycles (2000 hours UV and 400 hour's
rain).
After 840 hours in the test the gypsum in the GRG board had
flushed completely leaving only fibers.
The Material One and PGRC boards were visually checked
periodically for cracking and erosion as a result of the
rainwater. No cracking or erosion was observed.
After 2400 hours in the weather-o-meter the Material One
and PGRC boards were tested in the same environmental
conditions as described earlier with the following results:
Flexural properties of Material One and PGRC after 2400
hours accelerated aging in various environmental
conditions :
|
UNIT |
WET |
AIR DRY |
DRY |
|
|
M1 |
PGRC |
M1 |
PGRC |
M1 |
PGRC |
|
Density Kg/m³ |
1962 |
2089 |
1602 |
2034 |
1586 |
1986 |
|
MOR MPa |
32.6 |
22.6 |
58.0 |
23.8 |
65.4 |
24.9 |
|
LOP MPa |
10.5 |
16.0 |
15.6 |
17.5 |
19.6 |
20.3 |
Also after 2400 hours in the weather-o-meter the tensile
strength of Material One and PGRC was tested. The
tensile strength of Material One does not appear to
have dropped after artificially aging.
Tensile strength of Material One and PGRC after 2400
hours of accelerated aging:
|
UNIT |
M1 |
PGRC |
|
Density Kg/m³ |
1602 |
2034 |
|
Tensile MPa |
36.9 |
10.4 |
Material One
after 2400 hours of accelerated aging on unfilled, unpainted,
unsealed test specimen's examination of surface under a
microscope showed some effect of the aging test, i.e. surface
roughness. Some discoloration of the surface is evident,
together with trace of white bloom.
Both these noted effects can be significantly improved by
adding sand or stone fillers to the facing mix layer or by
sealing the surface with a water based breathable acrylic
coating.
FIRE PERFORMANCE
The performance of the Material One system has been
determined by subjecting Material One to the following
test:
A.
Fire propagation test to BS 476 Part 6 1989 Fulmer Yarsley
Report No. J 863723/3 dated Sl.7.90. The indices of
performance were 0.5 at 3 minutes and 8.9 finally.
B.
Surface spread of flame test for materials to BS 476 Part 7
1987, Fulmer Yarsley Report No. J 86732/2 dated 31.7.90. In
accordance with the flame spread classification, the results
show that Material One has a Class 1 surface with the
same indices of performance in Part 6 report No.
J 86372. Material One can be defined as a Class "0"
material in Accordance with appendix "A" Clause A8 of the
approval document B2/3/4 to the Building Regulations 1985.
C.
Airbus Industry Technical Specification 1000.001 Issue 4.
Fulmer Yarsley Report No. j 81940 /6 dated 26.2.88.
|
RETENTION OF
PERFORMANCE |
|
|
Soft Body
Impact |
50Kg with
energy of 34Nm |
|
Soft Body Impact |
3Kg with energy
of 30Nm |
|
Hard
Body Impact |
0.5Kg with
energy of 6Nm |
IMPACT STRENGTH TEST
The Impact strength of the Material One system has been
measured in two tests described as follows:
A.
Impact resistance has been measured with Charpy Impact device
for unnotched samples in accordance with RILEN recommendations
of Technical Committee 48 TFR. The test specimens were
conditioned at 20°C and 65% R.H. Results of tests gave an
average impact characteristic strength of 16
KJ/m².
These values are over 40 tests with a 5% margin of error.
B.
Material One panels with a reconstructed stone facing
with a hand Laminated backing have been tested to UEAtc
directives for Impact Testing Opaque Vertical Building
Components M.O.A.T. No. 43 1987. A 1,5 x 1.5 meter panel with
stiffening ribs at 750mm centres was supported vertically by
steel bracing members. The most severe category of test was
chosen; this was defined as E2; readily accessible to public
and others with little incentive to exercise care; change of
accident occurring or misuse. Two types of impact tests are
specified:
a - Safety impacts to ensure that in service accidental impact
will not use danger to impair structural integrity.
b - Retention of performance impacts to ensure that the panels
continue to perform in regard to appearance and physical
properties after repeated impact.
In order to meet the requirements of category E2 performance
the following impacts were used in the test:
|
RETENTION OF
PERFORMANCE |
|
|
Soft Body
Impact |
50Kg with
energy of 34Nm |
|
Soft Body Impact |
3Kg with energy
of 30Nm |
|
Hard
Body Impact |
0.5Kg with
energy of 6Nm |
For the above
three tests the panels must retain their functional
characteristic and also overall appearance.
|
SAFETY IMPACT |
|
|
Soft Body Impact |
50Kg with
energy of 100Nm |
|
Hard
Body Impact |
1Kg with energy
of 10Nm |
The requirements are for the soft body test that the panel may
be damaged but must not allow the body to penetrate, become
dislodged from its fixings, cause falling debris or impair
safety of the structure. For the hard body test, the above
conditions apply except that the impact body can pass through
the panel.
|
RESULTS |
|
|
Soft Body Impact |
PASS |
|
Hard
Body Impact |
PASS |
TEST FOR CHLORINE ATTACK
These tests were conducted as a result of a particular need in
a architectural application in the UK.
DESCRIPTION OF TEST PROGRAM CARRIED OUT
Chlorine used in tests 'oasis' stabilized chlorine granules
(sodium dechloroisocyanurate dehydrate). Chlorine solution, 2
level s of solution were used in the test:
A - Normal level chlorine residual of 1.5 mg / f (ppm) ph
level 7.2 - 7.8.
B - A solution made up to 5 times the normal level with
chlorine residual of 7.5 mg/l 9 (ppm)
TEST SPECIMENS
12no test coupons were cut from Material One laminated
flat sheet, size 250 x 50 x 6 mm (size for four point bending
test).
TEST DATA
A.
Test coupons conditioned at 20°C / 55 RH to reach a standard
weight to provide dry weight.
B.
3no. test coupons immersed in clean water for a period of 26
days at 20°C as control coupons.
C.
3no. test coupons immersed in normal level chlorine solution,
as A above, for 28 days at 20°C.
D.
3no. test coupons immersed in THE 5 times normal level
solution, as B above, for 28 days at 20°C.
E.
3no. test coupons, placed in a humidity cabinet with the
normal level solution, as A above, 85 RH at 20°C.
F.
The chlorine levels were maintained constant during the test
period.
RESULTS OF THE TESTS
At the end of the 28 day test period each test coupon was
examined and weighed.
Absorption - average 4.8% on dry weight
Weight - No significant difference on the absorbed weight
of any of the test specimens.
Visual Examination - Slight surface erosion on test
coupons subjected to high level chlorine solutions.
Test coupons were then conditioned at 20°C at 55 RH to reach
air dry weight.
Weight - Each coupon was weighed and compared with the
pretest weight. A weight loss of 0.8% maximum was recorded on
the coupons subjected to the high l eve l of chlorine.
Four Point Bending Test - Each coupon was tested to BS
6432 (1984) to determine Modulus of Rupture. Results of
between 42.3 and 48.6 Mpa were reported. There was no
detectable loss of strength in coupons subjected to the high
level of chlorine.
CONCLUSION
Slight loss of weight and surface erosion detected on coupons
subjected to high chlorine level. No significant loss of
strength on the air dried coupons on composition of the tests.
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