Micromechanics of engineered cementitious composites (ECC): A critical review and new insights

ECC micromechanics relates material microstructures to the composite tensile behavior, which enables backward component tailoring to achieve targeted tensile performance at the minimum fiber dosage and forward prediction/modelling of ECC tensile behavior. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art ECC micromechanics, including its scale-linking approach, the mechanisms governing multiple cracking and tensile strain-hardening, and the detailed modelling and improvements at different length scales. Specifically, ECC micromechanics has been evolved from the deterministic-based approach to the stochastic-based model considering the heterogeneity of the microstructure for better simulation of the sequential formation of multiple steady-state cracking with various level of saturation. Furthermore, ECC micromechanics has been extended to different loading condition including dynamic loading and fatigue. Additional studies to further enhance the model have been discussed and proposed at the end of this review as well.