Effect of micrometric and nanometric viscoelastic inclusions on mechanical damping behavior of cementitious composites

Improvement in mechanical damping of cementitious materials incorporating viscoelastic inclusions has been evaluated. Specimens were fabricated and tested with cyclic uniaxial compressive loading at frequencies of 0.2–25 Hz. Significant improvement in damping was observed in cementitious–crumb rubber composite specimens when crumb rubber was acid treated, which is hypothesized to occur due to improvements in bond between the rubber inclusions and the cementitious matrix. Specimens containing core-shelled rubber showed improvement in damping over plain cement paste with a lower reduction in strength compared to crumb rubber mixtures, but improvements in damping were less than when acid treated crumb rubber was used.

► Acid treatment of crumb rubber in cement paste improves damping up to 600%.
► Increased damping via acid treatment attributed to improved inclusion–matrix bond.
► CSR inclusions improve damping more than untreated crumb rubber, less than treated.
► CSR inclusions reduce strength less than crumb rubber.