Application of polymer concrete containing industrial bottom ashes in footing plates for energy poles

The paper presents a procedure for preparing, molding, and testing polymer concrete containing 10 – 60% bottom ash from power plant fluid circulating fluidized bed boiler (CFB)– the rest of the filler was standard sand. The tests of static bending and mass changes after exposition to acid, base and salt were conducted. Additionally, mass changes after freeze-thaw tests were registered. The tested polymer concretes showed no problems during manufacturing process. Compositions containing 10-20% by weight of ash showed higher flexural strength than polymer concrete containing 100% sand and it was approximately 35 MPa. Relatively small changes in mass [less than 0.5% excluding base exposition for which it was less than 3%] caused by environmental factors, in general consistent with theoretical predictions, allow us to assume that the tested materials will meet the strength requirements for the footplates. Polymer concrete containing 10% of ash was found to be the optimal material for producing the plates. It has shown the best resistance to environmental aging of all tested concretes. The designed mold system is simple and reliable-it is applicable for serial production of the plates in industrial conditions. The visual quality of the plates produced is very good. In general, polymer concrete once again turned out to be a very good material, applicable in various elements for the construction industry.