• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.37-45
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• 2021

This paper is a basic study to evaluate the possibility of earthquake-resistant reinforcement by reinforcing engineered cementitious composite in masonry members. In order to examine the performance according to the fiber mixing rate of the engineered cementitious composite, a test specimen was prepared according to the formulation design, and flow ability, compressive strength, flexural strength, length change rate, and direct tensile strain were measured. In addition, non-reinforced masonry members, masonry members reinforced with engineered cementitious composite, and masonry members in which glass fibers and wire mesh were separately reinforced with engineered cementitious composites were manufactured, and flexural strength and maximum displacement were measured. All specimens reinforced with engineered cementitious composite showed more than 16 times the effect of maximal strength compared to that of no reinforcement, and as a result of examining the crack shape, the energy dissipation ability was excellent, confirming the possibility of seismic reinforcement.

• Composites Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.21-26
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• 2007

This paper summarizes the design procedure and constructibility of an ECC (Engineered Cementitious Composite), which is a synthetic fiber-reinforced composite produced with the Portland cement-based mortar matrix. This study employs a stepwise method to develop useful ECC in construction field, which possesses different fluid properties to facilitate diverse types of processing (i.e., self-consolidating or spray processing). To control the rheological properties of the composite, the aggregates and reinforcing fibers were initially selected based on micromechanical analysis and steady-state cracking theory. The stability and consequent viscosity of the suspensions were then mediated by optimizing the dosage of the chemical and mineral admixtures. The rheological properties altered through this approach were revealed to be effective in obtaining ECC-hardened properties, represented by pseudo strain-hardening behavior in uniaxial tension, allowing the readily achievement of the desired function of the fresh ECC.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.565-582
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• 2023

The present research reports the application of engineered cementitious composites (ECC) as an alternative to conventional concrete to improve the seismic behavior of short columns. Experimental and finite element investigation was conducted by testing five reinforced engineered cementitious composite (RECC) concrete columns (half-scale specimens) and one control reinforced concrete (RC) specimen for different shear-span and transverse reinforcement ratios under cyclic lateral loads. RECC specimens with higher shear-span and transverse reinforcement ratios demonstrated a significant effect on the column lateral load behavior by improving ductility (>5), energy dissipation capacity (1.2 to 4.1 times RC specimen), gradual strength degradation (ultimate drift >3.4%), and altering the failure mode. The self-confinement effect of ECC fibers maintained the integrity in the post-peak region and reserved the transmission of stress through fibers without noticeable degradation in strength. Finite element modeling of RECC specimens under monotonic incremental loads was carried out by adopting simplified constitutive material models. It was apprehended that the model simulated the global response (strength and stiffness) and damage crack patterns reasonably well.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.539-540
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• 2009

A self-consolidating engineered cementitious composite (ECC), which exhibits tensile strain-hardening behavior in the hardened state, while maintaining self-consolidating properties in the fresh state, has been developed by employing electrosteric dispersion and stabilization.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.339-355
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• 2022

The high cost of ultra-high-performance engineered cementitious composite (UHP-ECC) is currently a crucial issue, especially in terms of the polyethylene (PE) fibers use. In this paper, cheap calcium carbonate whiskers (CW) were evaluated on the feasibility of hybrid with PE fibers. Diverse combinations of PE fibers and CW were employed to investigate the multi-scale enhancement on the UHP-ECC performance. A probabilistic-based UHP-ECC tensile strain reliability analysis approach was utilized, which was in general agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, a multi-dimensional integrated representation was conducted for the comprehensive assessment of UHP-ECC. Results illustrated that CW improved the compressive strength and energy dissipation capacity of UHP-ECC owing to the microscopic strengthening mechanism. CW and PE fiber further promoted the saturated cracking of composite by multi-scale crack arresting effect. In particular, PE1.75-CW0.5 specimen possessed the best overall performance. The ultimate cracking width of PE1.75-CW0.5 group had 98 ㎛, which was 46.18% lower compared to PE2-CW0 group, the 28d compressive strength were slightly improved, the tensile strain capacity was comparable to that of PE2-CW0 group. The results above demonstrated that combinations of PE fiber and CW could significantly enhance the comprehensive performance of UHP-ECC, which was beneficial for large-scale engineering applications.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2005.05b
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• pp.313-316
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• 2005

In the recent design of high ductile fiber-reinforced cementitious composite ECC, which exhibits tensile strain-hardening behavior in the hardened state, optimizing both processing mechanical properties for specific applications is critical. This study introduced a method to develop useful ECCs in field, which possess the different fluid properties to facilitate diverse types of processing (i.e., self-consolidating or spray processing). Control of rheological modulation was regarded as a key factor to allow the performance of the desired processing, while retaining the ductile material properties. To control the rheological properties of the composite, we first determined basic ECC compositon, which is based on micromechanics and steady-state cracking theory. The stability and consequent viscosity of suspensions were, then, mediated by optimizing dosages of chemical and mineral admixtures. The rheological properties altered by this approach were revealed to be effective in obtaining ECC hardened properties, allowing us to readily achieve the desired function of the fresh ECC.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.27-39
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• 2005

In the recent design of high ductile fiber-reinforced ECC (engineered cementitious composite), optimizing both processing and mechanical properties for specific applications is critical. This study presents an innovative method to develop new class ECCs, which possess the different fluid properties to facilitate diverse types of processing (i.e., self-consolidating or shotcrete processing) while maintaining ductile hardened properties. In the material design concept, we employ a parallel control of fresh and hardened properties by using micromechanics and cement rheology. Control of colloidal interaction between the particles is regarded as a key factor to allow the performance of the specific processing. To determine how to control the particle interactions and the viscosity of cement suspension, we first introduce two chemical admixtures including a highly charged polyelectrolyte and a non-ionic polymer. Optimized mixing steps and dosages we, then, obtained within the solid concentration predetermined based on micromechanical principle. Test results indicate that the rheological properties altered by this approach were revealed to be highly effective in obtaining the desired function of the fresh ECC, allowing us to readily achieve hardened properties, represented by pseudo strain-hardening behavior in uniaxial tension.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.691-704
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• 2014

Reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls are commonly used for building structures to resist seismic loading. While the RC shear walls can have a high load-carrying capacity, they tend to fail in a brittle mode under shear, accompanied by forming large diagonal cracks and bond splitting between concrete and steel reinforcement. Improving seismic performance of shear walls has remained a challenge for researchers all over the world. Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC), featuring incredible ductility under tension, can be a promising material to replace concrete in shear walls with improved performance. Currently, the application of ECC to large structures is limited due to the lack of the proper constitutive models especially under shear. In this paper, a new Cyclic Softening Membrane Model for reinforced ECC is proposed. The model was built upon the Cyclic Softening Membrane Model for reinforced concrete by (Hsu and Mo 2010). The model was then implemented in the OpenSees program to perform analysis on several cases of shear walls under seismic loading. The seismic response of reinforced ECC compared with RC shear walls under monotonic and cyclic loading, their difference in pinching effect and energy dissipation capacity were studied. The modeling results revealed that reinforced ECC shear walls can have superior seismic performance to traditional RC shear walls.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.193-206
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• 2021

Extensive research has been conducted on the basic mechanical property and structural applications of engineered cementitious composites (ECC). Despite the high tensile ductility and high toughness of ECC, transverse steel reinforcement is still necessary to confine ECC for high performance. However, limited research has examined performance of ECC confined with practical amount of transverse reinforcement. This paper presents the results of axial compression tests on 14 square ECC columns and 4 conventional concrete columns (used as control specimens) with transverse reinforcement. The test variables were spacing, configuration (square ties or square and diamond shape ties), and yield strength of stirrups. The test showed that ECC columns confined with steel stirrup had good compressive ductility, and the stirrup spacing had the greatest effect on the compressive performance. The self-confinement effect of ECC results in a more uniform but slower expansion of the whole column compared with CC ones. The test results are then compared against the predictions from a number of existing models for conventional confined concrete. It is indicated that these models fail to predict the axial strains at peak axial stress and the trend of the stress-strain curve of steel stirrups-confined ECC with sufficient accuracy. Several new equations are then proposed for the compressive properties of steel-confined ECC based on test results and potential approaches for future studies are proposed.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.597-605
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• 2009

The present study has been proposed a model for the in-plane shear behavior of reinforced(Engineered Cementitious Composite(ECC) panels under biaxial stress states. The model newly considers the high-ductile tensile characteristic of cracked ECC by its multiple micro-cracking mechanism, the compressive strain-softening characteristic of cracked ECC, and the shear transfer mechanism in the cracked interface of ECC element. A series of numerical analyses were performed, and the predicted curves were compared with experimental results. The proposed in-plane shear model, R-ECC-MCFT, was found to be well matched with the experimental results, and it was also demonstrated that reinforced ECC panel showed more improved in-plane shear strength and post peak behavior, in comparing with the conventional reinforced concrete panel.