Influência do teor de agregados reciclados do tipo A2O3-ZrO2-SiO2 (AZS) na energia de fratura de concretos refratários

Abstract

Refractory concretes are materials of extreme relevance to the base industry. They have the ability to maintain their properties of interest at functional levels when subjected to high temperatures or corrosive environments. Although these materials show high mechanical strength, cracking is inevitable at extreme conditions. Therefore, the understanding of crack propagation resistance and how to induce toughness mechanisms is fundamental to develop better materials. In this sense, the fracture energy is a direct consequence of the resistance against crack propagation in refractory materials, which may be increased with the addition of eutectic aggregates in aluminous matrix. The wedge splitting test allows the measurement of the fracture energy, since it induces a stable crack propagation in refractory concretes. Allied to the wedge method, the Digital Image Correlation technique allows the measurement of the fracture energy by providing the crack mouth open displacement without direct contact with the specimen. This work aims to use these techniques to identify the effect of the addition of eutectic aggregates of alumina-zirconia-silica (AZS) in aluminous refractory castables.