High-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites (HPFRCCs) are a group of fiberreinforced cement-based composites which possess the unique ability

to flex and self-strengthen before fracturing. This particular class of concrete was developed with the goal of solving the structural problems inherent with todays typical concrete, such as its tendency to fail in a brittle manner under excessive loading and its lack of long-term durability. Because of their design and composition, HPFRCCs possess the remarkable ability to strain harden under excessive loading. In laymans terms, this means they have the ability to flex or deform before fracturing, a behavior similar to that exhibited by most metals under tensile or bending stresses. Because of this capability, HPFRCCs are more resistant to cracking and last considerably longer than normal concrete. Another extremely desirable property of HPFRCCs is their low density. A less dense, and hence lighter material means that HPFRCCs could eventually require much less energy to produce and handle, deeming them a more economic building material. Because of HPFRCCs lightweight composition and ability to strain harden, it has been proposed that they could eventually become a more durable and efficient alternative to typical concrete. HPFRCCs are simply a subcategory of ductile fiber-reinforced cementititous composites (DFRCCs) that possess the ability to strain harden under both bending and tensile loads, not to be confused with other DFRCCs that only strain harden under bending loads. Because several specific formulas are included in the HPFRCC class, their physical compositions vary considerably. However, most HPFRCCs include at least the following ingredients: fine aggregates, a superplasticizer, polymeric or metallic fibers, cement, and water. Thus the principal difference between HPFRCC and typical concrete composition lies in HPFRCCs' lack of coarse aggregates. Typically, a fine aggregate such as silica sand is used in HPFRCCs. Strain hardening, the most coveted capability of HPFRCCs, occurs when a material is loaded past its elastic limit and begins to deform plastically. This stretching or straining action actually strengthens the material. This phenomenon is made possible through the development of multiple microscopic cracks, opposed to the single crack/strain softening behavior exhibited by typical fiber-reinforced concretes. It occurs in HPFRCCs as several fibers slip past one another. One aspect of HPFRCC design involves preventing crack propagation, or the tendency of a crack to increase in length, ultimately leading to material fracture. This occurrence is hindered by the presence of fiber bridging, a property that most HPFRCCs are specifically designed to possess. Fiber bridging is the act of several fibers exerting a force across the width of a crack in an attempt to prevent the crack from developing further. This capability is what gives bendable concrete its ductile properties. Listed below are some basic mechanical properties of ECC, or Engineered Cementitious Composite, a specific formula of HPFRCC, developed at the University of Michigan. This information is available in Victor C. Li's article on (ECC)- Tailored Composites through Micromechanical Modeling. [1] The first property listed, the ultimate tensile strength of 4.6 MPa, is slightly larger than the accepted tensile strength of standard fiber-reinforced concretes, (4.3 MPa). More notable, however, is the extremely high ultimate strain value of 5.6% when compared to most FRC's ultimate strain values ranging in the few hundredths of a percent. The first crack stress and first crack strain values are significantly low compared to normal concrete, both the result of the multiple crack phenomenon associated with HPFRCCs.

Civil structures made of steel reinforced concrete normally suffer from corrosion of the steel by the salt, which results in the failure of those structures. Constant maintenance and repairing is needed to enhance the life cycle of those civil structures. There are many ways to minimize the failure of the concrete structures made of steel reinforce concrete. The custom approach is to adhesively bond fiber polymer composites onto the structure. This also helps to increase the toughness and tensile strength and improve the cracking and deformation characteristics of the resultant composite. But this method adds another layer, which is prone to degradation. These fiber polymer composites have been shown to suffer from degradation when exposed to marine environment due to surface blistering. As a result, the adhesive bond strength is reduced, which results in the de-lamination of the composite(1). Another approach is to replace the bars in the steel with fibers to produce a fiber reinforced concrete and this is termed as FRC. Basically this method of reinforcing the concrete substantially alters the properties of the non-reinforced cement-based matrix which is brittle in nature, possesses little tensile strength compared to the inherent compressive strength. The principal reason for incorporating fibers into a cement matrix is to increase the toughness and tensile strength, and improve the cracking deformation characteristics of the resultant composite. In order for fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) to be a viable construction material, it must be able to compete economically with existing reinforcing systems.