Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC): Mechanical Performance, Micromechanical Design, and Infrastructure Applications

Abstract

Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC), commonly referred to asbendable concrete, represent a paradigm shift in structural engineering due to their high tensile ductility, characteristic strain-hardening behavior, andunique self-healing capabilities. Unlike conventional concrete or standardfiber-reinforced concrete (FRC), which exhibit brittle failure under tensileloading, ECC is engineered using micromechanical principles to achievetensile strain capacities exceeding 3% to 5%, which is roughly 300 to 500times greater than standard concrete. This comprehensive research paperexplores the fundamental micromechanical design criteria governing thepseudo-strain hardening properties of ECC, evaluates its mechanicalperformance parameters (including compressive, tensile, flexural, and fatigue behaviors), and provides an in-depth review of its diverse practicalapplications in seismic retrofitting, bridge decks, link slabs, and sustainableunderground infrastructures. Experimental data from rigorous laboratorycharacterizations are summarized alongside analytical models detailing thecrack width control mechanism, which limits microcrack widths to less than60 µm under high stress. Finally, the technical hurdles, economic considerations, life-cycle costs, and prospective development pathwaystowards green, low-carbon ECC incorporating high volumes of industrial by-products are thoroughly evaluated.  KEYWORDS: Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC); Strain-Hardening; Micromechanics; High Ductility; Self-Healing; InfrastructureResiliency