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The magic of elastic concrete: How to make buildings as elastic as metal?
With the increasing demands of modern construction, traditional concrete has gradually revealed its shortcomings, especially in terms of durability and tensile strength. Recently, a new type of material called engineered concrete composites (ECC) has attracted much attention. ECC not only has excellent ductility, its properties even make it behave like metal in some aspects. This article will give you an in-depth look at the development of elastic concrete, its properties, its applications in various fields, and consider the potential significance behind it.
Development Background
ECC is a cement-based composite material reinforced by specially designed short fibers, and its tensile strength is several times that of traditional Portland cement. The design of ECC is based on the theory of micromechanics and fracture mechanics, which makes it have broad application prospects in various research and development stages. Unlike ordinary fiber reinforced concrete, ECC is not just a fixed-shape material, but a family of materials with different formulations and designs, which makes the design of each ECC mix require system engineering at the nano, micro and macro levels. .
ECC's elasticity and extrusion properties make it ideal for many different applications.
Unique performance
ECC has a unique set of features. First, its tensile properties are superior to other fiber-reinforced composites, and its processing is as easy as traditional cement. Only about 2% of the fibers are needed to achieve advantages such as small crack width and no anisotropic weak surfaces. These properties are due to the interaction between the fibers and the cement matrix, which allows the ECC to deform without catastrophic failure.
The micro-crack behavior of ECC not only improves corrosion resistance, but also has the ability to self-heal.
Under the influence of water (such as rainfall), unreacted cement particles hydrate and form a variety of products that expand to fill cracks, allowing the building material to repair itself without affecting the strength of the basic structure.
Different Types of ECC
With the advancement of technology, various types of ECC have emerged. For example, lightweight ECC was developed by adding air holes and glass foam, and its excellent ductility has led to its use in floating homes and boats. In addition, self-flowing concrete is able to flow on its own without additional vibration, making it particularly suitable for complex molds surrounding steel reinforcement.
Sprayable ECC achieves enhanced pumping capacity through the use of various additives and is suitable for repair and reinforcement work of bridges, tunnels, etc.
Field Application Cases
ECC has been used in many large-scale construction projects in Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Australia and the United States. In 2003, the Mitaka Dam in Hiroshima was repaired with ECC. Due to the 60 years of work on the dam at that time, several cracks and water seepage problems appeared on its surface, so it was repaired by spraying a 20 mm thick layer of ECC.
In Tokyo, the 95-meter-tall Glorio Roppongi apartment building uses 54 ECC coupling beams to mitigate earthquake damage. ECC's excellent properties make it excel in earthquake-resistant applications, significantly improving the durability of these structures compared to traditional cement concrete.
Comparison with other composite materials
The development of ECC is not limited to its own strength and ductility, but will also help future building designs to continue to advance. Buildings using ECC can reduce the amount of materials used, thereby bringing greater economic and environmental benefits.
Many countries are working hard to research ECC technology to improve the safety and durability of buildings, which not only changes the way building materials are used, but will also affect future urban planning.
With the advancement of science and technology, the application of ECC will become more and more extensive. The emergence of this material will soon be able to provide better building solutions and further promote the concept of sustainable development. However, will new building materials in the future replace traditional concrete and become the mainstream?
