Optimizing Workability in Engineered Cementitious Composites

Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) draw attention in the construction industry owing to excellent tensile behaviour, ductility, and self-healing capabilities. Usage of secondary cementitious materials make ECC a sustainable construction composite. Fibers used in ECC impart enhanced flexural performance making it a versatile material across varied applications. Although ECC exhibits excellent mechanical properties, it imposes few challenges in achieving a workable mix. This paper experiments on fresh properties of ECC giving due importance to mixing procedure. Evaluation of factors influencing workability and influence of mixing techniques, constituent materials on workability and compressive strength is carried out. Results indicated that mixes from planetary mixers exhibited superior slump flow and compressive strength in comparison with mixes from pan mixers. Hand held mixers produced mixes with comparable slump flow and compressive strength to those from planetary mixers. Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) content beyond 50% resulted in lower compressive strength and lesser workable mixes.