Structural performance of reinforced strain hardening cementitious composite pipes during monotonic loading

• The ultimate load and deflection diameter ratios increase 200% and 340% for SHCCP relative to RMP.
• SHCCP had thinner walls relative to normal reinforced concrete pipes.
• SHCCP could endure higher tensile strain than RMP.
• The multiple cracking characteristic of SHCC existed in SHCCP under TEBT.

Strain Hardening Cementitious Composites (SHCC) is a kind of micromechanically designed cement-based composite with ultra high tensile ductility. It is used to fabricate an innovative concrete pipe to improve the structural performance of concrete pipe. The load-carrying capacity, deflection to diameter ratio, circumferential strain and crack patterns of reinforced SHCC pipes (SHCCP) in comparison to these of conventional reinforced cement mortar pipes (RMP) have been investigated under the Three-Edge Bearing Testing (TEBT). Results show that resulting from high tensile strength and high ductility of SHCC the ultimate load and deflection diameter ratios has increased about 200% and 340% for SHCCP relative to RMP. So, SHCCP had thinner walls relative to standard reinforced concrete pipes. SHCCP with diameter of 375 mm and wall thickness of 25 mm could bear the specified Dult for Class III pipes according to ASTM C76. SHCCP also possessed high residual load-carrying capacity. SHCCP could endure higher tensile strain than RMP. The maximum tensile strain of the crown and the springline of SHCCP reached 10,000 με and 6400 με. The multiple cracking characteristic of SHCC existed in SHCCP under TEBT. SHCCP exhibited high ductility so that it has the potential to be classified as a type of semi-rigid pipe.