Development of ultra-high performance engineered cementitious composites using polyethylene (PE) fibers

- The tensile, compressive and flexural behaviors of UHP-ECC were systematically investigated.
- UHP-ECC combines the strain-hardening and multiple crack characteristics and the high strength of mortar matrix.
- Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (PE) fibers with a high aspect ratio were deployed.
- The digital image correlation (DIC) technique was utilized to monitor the crack patterns during the tests.
- Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis was conducted to understand the microstructure of UHP-ECC.

Ultra-high performance engineered cementitious composites (UHP-ECC), which combines the strain-hardening and multiple crack characteristics and the high strength of mortar matrix, was investigated in this study. The tensile strength and elongation of the UHP-ECC achieved were 20 MPa and 8.7%, respectively. For the production of UHP-ECC, ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (PE) fibers were deployed to reinforce the ultra-high strength mortar while special attention was paid to the mix process to ensure satisfactory fiber dispersion. The tensile stress-strain curves, the compressive strength and elastic modulus, and the flexural behavior of UHP-ECC were investigated to understand its mechanical performance. The digital image correlation (DIC) technique was utilized to monitor the crack patterns of UHP-ECC during the tensile and flexural tests. In addition, Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis was conducted to achieve an in-depth understanding of the microstructure of UHP-ECC.