Structural behaviour of polymer cement mortar as adherent for clay bricks

The mortar joints between bricks in masonry structures are the element more susceptible to external actions, such as gravitational and seismic loads, and the effect of differential settlement can affect these joints, too. A large amount of research has proposed adding different types of reinforcement to improve the bond between bricks or even established mortarless brick joints. The recent development of polymers has encouraged their introduction in the construction sector. This research aimed to evaluate the behaviour of the different mixes of mortar in clay bricks, modifying its composition by adding epoxy resin; this allowed for changing its resistance to compression and adhesion between the units. This study tested masonry walls, mortar cylinders, and cross-brick tests by direct traction to determine the effect of adding epoxy resin to the traditional mortar mix. The results show that the preparation of epoxy mortar in situ has difficult workability; however, its compressive strength improved by 10% and tensile adhesion by 102%, showing a higher adherence to the conventional mortar.