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Effect of cracking and healing on durability of engineered cementitious composites under marine environment



Author(s): M. Li, M. Sahmaran, V.C. Li
Paper category: Workshop
Book title: Fifth International RILEM Workshop on High Performance Fiber Reinforced Cement Composites (HPFRCC5)
Editor(s): H.W. Reinhardt, A.E. Naaman
ISBN: 978-2-35158-046-2
Pages: 313 - 322
Total Pages: 10
Language: English


Abstract: 
Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) offer significant potential for durable civil infrastructures under marine environment, due to its high tensile strain capacity of more than 3%, and controlled micro crack width of less than 60 μm. An experimental study was designed to investigate the durability of ECC material with regard to cracking and healing under combined mechanical loading and environmental loading conditions. ECC coupon specimens were firstly preloaded under uniaxial tension to different strain levels, and then exposed to a chloride environment for 1, 2 and 3 months and subsequently reloaded up to failure. The reloaded specimens retained multiple micro-cracking behavior and tensile strain capacity of more than 3%, although the average crack width increases from 40 μm to 100 μm and the tensile strength was reduced by 10%. The test results indicated strong evidence of self-healing of the micro-cracked ECC material, which can still carry considerable tensile stress and strain. The phenomenon of self-healing effectively closes the microcracks. These results confirmed that ECC, both uncracked and micro-cracked, remain durable despite exposure to a severe marine environment.


Online publication: 2014
Publication Type: full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00


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