Design Oriented Stress-Strain Models for Engineered Cementitious Composites

Abstract

Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) is known for multiple cracking and strain hardening property when loaded in tension. To incorporate this superior property in the design of structural elements, it is mandatory to develop design oriented stress-strain models considering the tensile strain hardening property. In the present study, stress-strain models are developed for both tension and compression using the empirical values available in literature. An analytical study has been conducted on the flexural response of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) reinforced ECC beams to understand the robustness of the developed stress-strain models. For this purpose, a special purpose non-linear computer program is developed based on force equilibrium and strain compatibility conditions to predict the ultimate load and deflection. The accuracy of the nonlinear computer program is validated by comparing the analytical results with experimental results available in literature which is found to be in close agreement. Hence, it is inferred that the developed stress-strain models can be used for various design purposes.