physico-mechanical properties of organo-modified bentonite reinforced cement mortars

It is demonstrated that the addition of organomodified nabentonite (omb) particles to portland cement mortar can promote its physical and mechanical properties. a series of experimental works on some important physicomechanical properties of portland cement mortars mixed with various dosages of hydrophobic omb were performed. the obtained results confirm that the omb provides a dense packing effect. an optimum replacement level of around 3.5% (by weight) at an increased watertocement ratio of 0.53 results in an almost 11.43% increase in 28day compressive strength along with about 20.78 and 16.20% reductions in total volume of permeable pore space and water absorption, respectively. also, at the optimum replacement level, an increase of about 2.72% is taken place in dry bulk specific gravity.