Mechanical Properties of Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC)

The mechanical properties of Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) serve multiple purposes. The compressive strength and tensile stress-strain relation are fundamental characteristics of the material. The tensile strain capacity defines the tensile ductility of a given mix composition and processing/curing method. The crack pattern (crack spacing and crack width distribution) is a critically important indicator of durability of the material. Appropriate test methods must be used for proper material characterization. This is particularly important in light of the fact that tensile test is not commonly used for concrete material. The tensile and compressive properties can be used as representative material qualities of ECC.