An comparative study on Conventional concrete and Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC-PVA)- REVIEW

Abstract

Engineered Cementitious Composites abbreviated as ECC. This material is capable to exhibit considerably enhanced flexibility. An ECC has a strain capacity of more than 3 percent and thus acts more like a ductile metal rather than like a brittle glass. A bendable concrete is composed of all the ingredients of a traditional concrete minus coarse aggregates or crushed stones and is reinforced with micromechanically designed polymer fibers Bendable concrete also known as Engineered Cementitious Composites abbreviated as ECC is class of ultra-ductile fiber reinforced cementitious composites, characterized by high ductility and tight crack width control. This material is capable to exhibit considerably enhanced flexibility. An ECC has a strain capacity of more than 3% to 5% compared to 0.01% of normal concrete and thus acts more like a ductile metal rather than like a brittle glass. A ECC is reinforced with micromechanically designed polymer fibres.PVA. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber is considered as one of the most suitable polymeric fibers to be used as the reinforcement of engineered cementitious composites (ECC), showing an extensive strain hardening behaviour of the composites, can be used to reduce resources and funds for rehabilitation of structure. At the starting this fiber concrete can be double the cost as compare to conventional concrete but as it can amplify the duration of structure, it will be less costlier than the conventional concrete, Conventional concretes are almost un-bendable and have a strain capacity of only 0.1 percent making them highly brittle and rigid. This lack of bendability is a major cause of failure under strain Plain concrete possesses a very low tensile strength, low ductility and little resistance to cracking. Internal micro-cracks are inherently present in the concrete (due to drying shrinkage) and its poor tensile strength is due to the propagation of these cracks (under loading), eventually leading to brittle failure of the concrete. This review paper presents comparative study on conventional concrete and Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) , by comparing strength properties like workability youngs modulus and hardened concrete properties as compressive strength, split tensile strength flexural strength. Also stating the current scenario about various active research that are taking place around the world on Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) by incorporating Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA).