Glass transition evaluation of commercially available epoxy resins used for civil engineering applications

The paper presents a study about the glass transition of commercially available epoxy resins used for structural strengthening of concrete members for instance by means of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) strips. Prior to an experimental investigation with a dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), an overview on differences between definitions for the glass transition temperature Tg is given. Several testing recommendations are listed in this respect. Subsequently, DMA tests on three commercially available products are presented. A first focus is put on the different evaluation methods for one specific test result. It is visible that considerable differences in the finally adapted glass transition temperature might arise if one or the other procedure is followed. Additional parameters, such as curing procedure, specimen age, temperature history, and ultimate temperature during heating are considered, too. In all the above mentioned cases, differences in the glass transition can be found. Higher specimen age, higher ultimate temperature during testing, accelerated curing, as well as a lower heating rate implicate higher glass transition temperatures, showing that the glass transition temperature is not a fixed material characteristic. In a final step, the relevance for Tg for civil engineering applications is described. The various design code provisions for defining the service temperature in structures related to Tg are presented. The overall aim of the investigation is to show that structural engineers and end users have to be aware of the different influential parameters on the final results regarding the glass transition temperature, which also highlights the need of a potential deeper product investigation in case technical data sheets lack detailed information.