PSI - Issue 47

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2023) 000–000 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect

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Procedia Structural Integrity 47 (2023) 37–42

© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the IGF27 chairpersons Abstract In the present paper, the effects of the graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets addition in a cement-based material are experimentally investigated from both the mechanical and the fracture point of view. More precisely, an experimental campaign is performed on both plain mortar and mortar reinforced with 0.03% GO nanosheets obtained by means of the Brodie’s method. The mechanical properties and the fracture toughness are determined through flexural, compressive, and fracture tests. It is observed that, in presence of GO, the Ca-rich silicate crystals have a compact polyhedron-like shape, whereas elongated Ca-rich silicate crystals have been found in plain mortar. The compact shape of such crystals in the GO reinforced mortar produces: (i) a flexural strength increase of about 4%, (ii) a compressive strength increase of about 3%, (iii) a fracture toughness increase of about 26%, with respect to the corresponding values characterising the plain mortar. © 2023 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the IGF27 chairpersons Keywords: fracture; GO; mechanical properties; mortar. 1. Introduction Graphene and its derivatives (that is, mainly graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO)) are widely used in the manufacturing of nanocomposites, finding applications in the fields of physics, chemistry, engineering and medicine. In the context of civil engineering, such nanomaterials may be employed to enhance the strength, crack 27th International Conference on Fracture and Structural Integrity (IGF27) Fracture and mechanical behaviour of a GO reinforced mortar Andrea Zanichelli*, Andrea Carpinteri, Camilla Ronchei, Daniela Scorza, Sabrina Vantadori Department of Engineering & Architecture, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 181/A, 43124 Parma, Italy

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 0521 905923. E-mail address: andrea.zanichelli@unipr.it

2452-3216 © 2023 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the IGF27 chairpersons

2452-3216 © 2023 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the IGF27 chairpersons 10.1016/j.prostr.2023.06.038