Textile Waste as a Fabric for the Composite Cement–Textile Formwork

This paper presents an experimental study on the behavior of the bond between cotton knitted textile cut-offs and a polymer–cement binder. The first part of the research examined the influence of polymer–cement coating on the maximum tensile load of this type of textile. For this purpose, the maximum tensile force of plain textiles and polymer–cement-coated textiles, with one and two layers of textiles, was tested. The results showed that polymer–cement coating increases the maximum tensile force by an average of 36%, and double polymer–cement coating by an average of 79% compared to twice the maximum force of the textile itself. The second part of the research examined the influence of the overlap length of independent textile parts on the transfer of tensile force from one part to another. Three overlap lengths were tested: 25 mm, 38 mm and 50 mm. The results indicate the conclusion that it is possible to make a continuous polymer–cement–textile surface from knitted textile parts, and suggest that for this type of textile, an overlap length greater than 25 mm is sufficient to transfer the same order of magnitude of maximum tensile forces as for continuous textiles. Additional research is needed to more precisely determine the sufficient overlap length. This research confirmed the hypothesis that cotton knitted textile waste cut-offs could be effectively bonded with a polymer–cement binder to enable the transfer of tensile forces and used as a material for the manufacture of textile formwork.