Influence of Microcracking on the Transport Properties of Engineered Cementitious Composites

Abstract

Durability of concrete structures is one of the most significant problems currently facingthe engineering community. The use of High Performance Fiber Reinforced CementitiousComposites (HPFRCC) may greatly enhance the durability and long term performance ofconcrete structures. However, prior to designing HPFRCC materials into practicalapplications, their durability performance must be shown equal or superior to concrete overlong durations in service environments. In this article, the transport properties undermechanical loading of a class of HPFRCC called Engineered Cementitious Composites(ECC) is summarized. The research results indicate that due to intrinsic self-control tightcrack width, many durability challenges confronting concrete can be overcome by using ECC.The superior performances of ECC under mechanical and environmental loads are expected tocontribute substantially to improving civil infrastructure sustainability by reducing the amountof repair and maintenance during the service life of the structure.