A review on high-strength engineered cementitious composites (HS-ECC): Design, mechanical property and structural application

The rapid development of infrastructure imposes high requirements on the performances of building materials especially on strength and ductility. The combination of high tensile strain capacity (>2%) and high strength (>80 MPa) to produce high strength engineered cementitious composites (HS-ECC) can be regarded as a potential and competitive option for structural application. The present paper comprehensively reviews some of the most important properties of HS-ECC from material scale to structural scale, and highlights several potential future research suggestions. The design theory of HS-ECC is firstly introduced, and the static and dynamic properties, size effect, energy properties, and shrinkage cracking resistance of HS-ECC are paid special attention to. Besides, the bond behavior between steel bar and HS-ECC matrix which is the fundamental for steel reinforced HS-ECC structure application is introduced, followed by the critical applications of HS-ECC in repairing the existed or advancing the newly-constructed infrastructures. Moreover, the possibility to partially or totally replace the binder materials or fibers in HS-ECC by recycle materials or industrial by-products is summarized, providing a greener solution. The future research directions of HS-ECC are also suggested to improve its property and enlarge its application area.

Automated summary

This paper comprehensively reviews the important properties of high strength engineered cementitious composites (HS-ECC) and suggests future research directions and potential applications. It covers the design theory, static and dynamic properties, size effect, energy properties, and bond behavior between steel bar and HS-ECC matrix. The critical applications of HS-ECC in infrastructure repair and construction are discussed, along with the possibility of using recycled materials or industrial by-products as binders or fibers in HS-ECC.