A Feasibility Study on the Potential Usage of Engineered Cementitious Composites in Indian Pavements

Abstract

The global concrete consumption has been rising at over 2.8% per annum, reaching as high as 4.08 billion metric tons in FY-2021 alone. A significant chunk of this is being used in pavement construction to eventually reduce the usage of traditionally utilized asphalt and RCC in pavements and to improve environmental impact, pavement performance, and life. This study addresses the potential of using engineered cementitious composites (ECC) in comparison with traditional materials like RCC. The scope of this paper includes an in-depth analysis of material properties, economic benefit, and the lifecycle assessment of ECC, in comparison with RCC and an another alternative fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC). The framework thus established to analyze the feasibility of ECC in the Indian context is based upon the use case of FRC as discussed subsequently in the form of a case study. A similar basis has been utilized to discuss a case study on an M45 ECC mix. A similar skeleton approach can be followed to comprehend and analyze the cases of ECC usage in any alternative geography or climatic condition by choosing a mix suitable to the respective location, material availability, and logistics. It is found that ECC offers a 30% reduction in total lifecycle costs as compared to conventional concrete if a 50-year analysis period is considered.