Introduction to the development and application of engineered cementitious composite (ECC)

Concrete is the predominant building material in civil engineering. A major impediment to the efficient implementation of ordinary concrete in infrastructure is the low tensile strength and strain capacity. Unlike brittle concrete, engineered cementitious composite (ECC) demonstrates high tensile property with robust strain-hardening performance accompanied by multiple self-controlled cracks. ECC holds the promise to enhance the structural and durability performances of infrastructure. The objective of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive view of the recent development of ECC materials and structures including its application from experimental studies to advanced numerical modeling methods and techniques. The structure of the book, in terms of the layout and the contents, is also presented