EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON FLEXURAL BEHAVIOURS OF ECC AND CONCRETE COMPOSITE

REINFORCED BEAMS
M.Velmurugan1, N.Chellakavitha
1
PG Student, 2 Asst.Professor,
1,2
Civil Engineering Department
Mepco Schlenk Engineering College, Sivakasi- 626 005, TamilNadu, India
Email:1kmvm87@gmail.com &2 chellakavitha@gmail.com
ABSTRAT:
Engineered cementitious composite (ECC) is a class of high-performance cementitious composites with strain-hardening behaviour and
excellent crack control. Substitution of concrete with ECC can avoid the cracking and durability problems associated with brittleness of
concrete. Extensive inelastic deformation is achieved in ECC through Recron 3s fibre. ECC can be used in high rise buildings due to their
appearance, high bearing capacity, ductility, fast construction and cost effective. The aim of the paper is to study the flexural behaviour of
ECC and concrete composite reinforced beams. Size of the beam is 1200mm x100mmx150mm. The percentage of Recron 3s fibre repl aced
is 0.5 %, 1.5%, 2.5% by weight of cement. Finally conventional beam is compared with ECC beam and also compare ECC at top and bottom
of composite beams.

Keywords: Engineered cementitious composite, Crack control, Durability, Recron 3s fibre, flexural,
1. INTRODUCTION
Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC, also known
as ECC Concrete), developed in the last decade, may
contribute to safer, more durable, and sustainable concrete
infra-structure that is cost-effective and constructed with
conventional construction equipment. ECC is ductile in
nature. Under flexure, normal concrete fractures in a brittle
manner. ECC has been prepared in ready-mix plants and
transported to construction sites using conventional readymix trucks. The mix can be placed with-out the need for
vibration due to its self-consolidating characteristics. The
moderately low fiber content has also made shotcreting
ECC viable.
Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) is a unique
representative of the new generation of high performance
fiber reinforced cementitious composites, featuring high
ductility and medium fiber content. The microstructure to
composite performance linkage can be further extended to
the structural performance level and integrate the material
design into performance based design concept for
structures.

Water: Water fit for drinking is generally considered fit for

Making concrete.
Cement : The cement used in all mixture was
commercially available Ordinary Portland Cement ( OPC )
of 53 grade confirmed to IS: 8112-1989. The initial and
final setting times were found as 80 minutes and 453
minutes respectively.
Fine Aggregate: Fine aggregate / natural sand is an
accumulation of grains of mineral matter derived from the
disintegration of rocks. Usually commercial sand is
obtained from riverbeds or from sand dunes originally
formed by the action of winds. The fine aggregate was
passing through 4.75 mm sieve and had a specific gravity
of 2.68. The grading zone of fine aggregate was zone III as
per Indian Standard specification.
Coarse Aggregate : Coarse aggregate used in this study
consist of crushed stone of size 20mm and below.
Laboratory tests were conducted on coarse aggregate to
determine the different physical properties as per IS: 3831970.
Fly ash: Fly ash is finely divided residue resulting from
the combustion of powedered coal and transported by the
flue gases and collected by electrostatic precipitator. It can
be manufactured by using the low calcium (class-F) fly ash
obtained from Tuticorin Thermal Power Plant.

Fig 1 ECC slab under two point loads

2. PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
2.1 GENERAL
Materials used in this study are Cement, Fine aggregate,
Coarse aggregate, Flyash, Recron3s fibre, Super
Plasticizer, steel and their characteristics were obtained by
testing of materials.
2.2 MATERIALS USED

Recron3s fibre: Recron3s fibre is mainly used for to

improving the quality of plaster and concrete. Recron 3s
fibres can be used in concrete elements such as RC and PC
lintel, beam, column, flooring and wall plastering.
Cut length
6 mm or 12 mm
Shape of fiber
special for improved
holding of cement
aggregates
Tensile strength
4000-6000 kg/cm
Melting point
> 250OC
Dosage rate
Concrete Use CT 2024
(12mm) at 909
g/m3g/cement bag 1:4
Cement/sand ratio Optimize
as per application

For ECC: (M45)

Cement

sand

Fly ash

Water

0.8

1.2

0.51

For Conventional Concrete: (M45)

Fig 2 Recron 3s fiber
Super Plasticizer: (CONPLAST SP430)
High strength concrete production is greatly facilitated by
the incorporation of a water reducing agent as admixture.
This enables easy handling of concretes with low watercement ratios without loss of adequate workability. The
quantities of super plasticizer used were as per the
specifications given by manufacturer. The properties of
Conplast SP 430 (complies with IS: 9103-1999) as
reported by the suppliers are given in Table.
Sl. No
Description
Property
1
2

Specific Gravity
Setting times

Air entrainment

Compatibility

Workability

Durability

Compressive
strength

1.220 to 1.225 at 30C

At higher dosage levels
without water reduction
retards setting times 1-2
hours approximately.
Approximately1%
additional air is entrain.
Can be used with all
types of Portland and
Slag cements except
High alumina cement.
Can be used to produce
flowing concrete that
requires no compaction.
Some minor adjustments
may be required to
produce high workable
mix
without
segregation.
Reduction in W/C ratio
enables increase in
density
and
impermeability
thus
enhancing durability of
concrete.
Early
strength
is
increased upto 20% if
water reduction is taken
advantage of. Generally,
there is improvement in
strength
upto
20%
depending upon W/C
ratio and other mix
parameters.

3. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS:

Cement

Fine
Aggregate

Coarse
Aggregate

Water

1.64

1.85

0.37

3.3 CASTING AND CURING

Steel mould was used for casting the cubes.
Before casting, machine oil was applied on the inner
surface of the mould. Concrete was mixed using a tilting
type laboratory mixer and was poured into the moulds in
layers. Compaction of concrete was done using a needle
vibrator. After 24 hours from casting, all the cubes were
curing into the water for 7 & 28 days compressive test.
3.4 TESTING
All the cubes were tested in Compression
Testing Machine (CTM).For loading the Cubes 2000 KN
capacity hydraulic compression testing machine was used.

Fig 3 Specimen placed in CTM

4. SUMMARY OF SPECIMEN INFORMATION

S.no
1

3.1. GENERAL
The experimental program consisted of casting,
curing and testing the cube of size 150x150x150 mm.
3.2 MIX PROPORTIONS:

Concrete type

Grade

Curing days

ECC

M45

28

Conventional

M45

28

ECC at top

M45

28

ECC at Bottom

M45

28

5. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Fig 5 Comparison between ECC at Bottom and Top

X axis = days; Y axis = Comp. strength (N/mm)

6.1 TEST SETUP

Graph 1. Comp. strength result at 7days. (Cube)

Fig 6 Two point loading in beam

X axis = days; Y axis = Comp. strength (N/mm)

Graph 2. Comp. strength result at 28days. (Cube)
From Graph 1. ECC is compared with conventional
concrete of 7 days compressive strength results. It is the
composite concrete is (3 to 5%) better than conventional
and Ecc concrete. From Graph 2.compared ECC and
Conventional concrete of 28 days compressive strength
results. ECC and Conventional concrete results values
arrived through best mix proportions. But doesnt get
expected results.
6. BEAM DETAILS

7. CONCLUSION
ECC with conventional concrete is compared with ECC
concrete of 7& 28 days compressive strength results. It is
the composite concrete is (3 to 5%) better than
conventional and Ecc concrete. According to the cube
compressive test results, if use of ECC with conventional
composite concrete may the beam is withstanding high
load and a large deformation without succumbing to the
brittle fracture typical of normal concrete, even without the
use of steel reinforcement.
8. REFERENCES
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Composites (ECC) A Review of the Material and Its
Applications Journal of Advanced Concrete
Technology Vol. 1, No. 3, 215-230 November 2003.
2. Li-li Kan, Hui-sheng Shi b, Investigation of selfhealing
behaviour
of
Engineered
CementitiousComposites
(ECC)
materials
Construction and Building Materials 29 (2012) 348
356.

Fig 4 Comparison between Conventional and ECC

concrete

3. Fang Yuan1; Jinlong Pan, Flexural Behaviours of

ECC
and
Concrete/ECCComposite
Beams
Reinforced with Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Polymer

DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CC.1943-5614.0000381. 2013

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