Temperature Impact on Engineered Cementitious Composite Containing Basalt Fibers

Abstract

Engineered cementitious composite (ECC) is a new generation of fiber-reinforced concrete with high ductility and exceptional crack control capabilities. However, ECC can suffer a substantial reduction in ductility when exposed to elevated temperatures resulting in a loss of crack-bridging ability. In this study, the effect of adding basalt fiber (BF), which is an inorganic fiber with high-temperature resistance for the production of ECC, was studied. Moreover, the change in the mechanical properties of ECC, including compressive, tensile, and flexural strength, was experimentally investigated under elevated temperatures up to 400 °C. The results showed that the addition of BF to reinforced ECC improved the tensile and flexural strength of concrete effectively, but compressive strength marginally decreased. A significant decrease was observed in the range from 300 to 400 °C, while it increased smoothly when heated up to 300 °C. The compressive and flexural strength diminished after a slight strain gained when heated up to 100 °C. This work paves the way for future investigations focusing on the development of high-temperature resistance ECC.