Structural application of engineered cementitious composites (ECC): A state-of-the-art review

Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) has been extensively studied due to its excellent tensile performance in recent decades. ECC can significantly enhance the structural performance of either newly-built or existed structures. This paper reports a state-of-the-art review on ECC at structural level, including its constitutive model, bond behavior, and structural application in several critical areas. The static and dynamic constitutive models as well as the bond behavior between steel or FRP bar and ECC are firstly introduced. The structural behaviors of ECC components are further analyzed in details, including reinforced ECC (R/ECC) beams, columns, beam-column joints, shear walls and coupling beams. The applications of ECC in retrofitting and strengthening the existed masonry and concrete structures are also summarized. Further, the dynamic responses of R/ECC and ECC strengthened structures under impact and explosion are investigated. Future potential research areas of ECC are finally suggested. This paper provides the ECC community a comprehensive overview on the structural application of ECC.