A railway tie being constructed of an engineered cementitious composite (ECC) material having: (1) a minimum of 2% tensile ductility of ECC, (2) complete absence of alkali-silica reaction (ASR), (3) high fatigue resistance of ECC at least five times that of normal concrete, (4) self-healing ability of ECC requiring only water and air, and (5) customization of ECC for lower stiffness in the tie (60% that of normal concrete) and higher abrasion resistance in the seat (three times that of normal concrete).

A reinforcing fiber and reinforced material, which includes a fiber having a first radical wave therein, wherein said first radical wave includes an amplitude of between about 0.5 to 1 cm and a wave run width of about 0.05 to about 0.3 cm, and a leading run and trailing run of at least about 0.75.

A reinforcing fiber and reinforced material, which includes a fiber having a first radical wave therein, wherein said first radical wave includes an amplitude of between about 0.5 to 1 cm and a wave run width of about 0.05 to about 0.3 cm, and a leading run and trailing run of at least about 0.75.

Provided are cementitious mixtures and processes for reinforcing a cementitious matrix. In one form of the process for reinforcing a cementitious matrix includes the steps of mixing a mineral cement and one or more populations of synthetic, low-crystallinity copolymer microfibers.

An asphalt modifier includes bitumen, polyolefin particles, and one or more alkyl terephthalamides. Preparing an asphalt modifier includes combining one or more alkyl terephthalamides, polyolefin particles, and bitumen, and dispersing the polyolefin particles in the bitumen to yield the asphalt modifier. Digesting polyethylene terephthalate includes combining polyethylene terephthalate with an alkylamine or carboxyalkylamine to yield a reaction mixture, and heating the reaction mixture to a temperature between about 20 C. and about 300 C. to yield an alkyl terephthalamide.

An asphalt modifier includes bitumen, polyolefin particles, and one or more alkyl terephthalamides. Preparing an asphalt modifier includes combining one or more alkyl terephthalamides, polyolefin particles, and bitumen, and dispersing the polyolefin particles in the bitumen to yield the asphalt modifier. Digesting polyethylene terephthalate includes combining polyethylene terephthalate with an alkylamine or carboxyalkylamine to yield a reaction mixture, and heating the reaction mixture to a temperature between about 20 C. and about 300 C. to yield an alkyl terephthalamide.

The process is described for the dry mixing of fibers of different types and sizes with materials formulated with cementants or agglutinant components, granular aggregates and able to include or otherwise other additional ingredients. The principal characteristics of the process are to ensure a correct incorporation of the fibers with the rest of the materials, increase the mechanical fastening of same with the rest of the components and facilitate the use of formulas with high fiber content (over-fibration).

Cement slurries including a cement composition having a base cement, silica flour, and a cross-linked polyrotaxane additive, water, and latex. The cement composition includes the cross-linked polyrotaxane additive in an amount in a range of 0.05% to 5% by weight of cement (BWOC). Cement structures formed by curing a cement slurry within a wellbore and the cement structure is located within the wellbore. Methods for cementing a wellbore, including forming a cement slurry by mixing a cement composition, water, and latex, pumping the cement slurry to a selected location within the wellbore, and curing the cement slurry at the selected location to form a cement structure.