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3, December 2015 (Special Edition), 187-194 CED 2015, 17(3), DOI: 10.9744/CED 17.3.187-194
ISSN 1410-9530 print / ISSN 1979-570X online
Abstract: The performance of an Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) to self-heal micro-cracks under
a controlled laboratory environment is presented. Ten dog-bone shaped samples were prepared; five of them
were preloaded to known strains and then left to heal in water in a temperature-controlled laboratory.
Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) measurements were undertaken to monitor the crack-healing process. It was
found that all samples exhibited recoveries in UPV and were able to recover to between 96.6% and 98% of
their pre-test UPV values over a period of four weeks. An accelerated rate of healing was observed in the
initial two-day period immediately following the preloading test.
Introduction
Performance
Maintenance/repair
There is worldwide concern relating to the ever
increasing cost of repair and maintenance of concrete
structures, primarily as a result of premature dete-
1
rioration and cracking. In the United Kingdom (UK),
for example, approximately half of the 110bn
construction output in 2010 was spent on main-
tenance and refurbishment [1], with a quite a large Performance threshold
portion devoted to concrete structures. More recent-
ly, the Institution of Civil Engineers awarded UK
infrastructure a C grade [2] and it was estimated Time
that 383bn in investment is required by 2020 to
Total cost
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Suryanto, B. et al. / Self-healing of Micro-cracks in Engineered Cementitious Composites / CED, Vol. 17, No. 3, December 2015, pp. 187194
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Suryanto, B. et al. / Self-healing of Micro-cracks in Engineered Cementitious Composites / CED, Vol. 17, No. 3, December 2015, pp. 187194
Table 3. Oxide Analysis and Physical Properties of Fly-ash Testing and instrumentation
and Silica Sand (wt%)
Fly-ash Silica A 100 kN Instron 4206 machine was used to carry
sand out the tensile tests. Each sample was gripped at
Chemical analysis either end by pneumatic grips and care was taken to
SiO2 52.7 98.8 ensure that the sample was aligned so as to mini-
Al2O3 26.6 0.21 mize the eccentricity of the imposed tensile forces.
Fe2O3 5.6 0.09 To measure the axial deformation at the central
K2O 0.03 section, two LVDTs were mounted at either side (see
CaO 2.4 Figure 4(a)) and tensile strains were then deter-
MgO 1.2
mined from the displacement changes monitored
Na2O equivalent 1.7
from these two LVDT readings. Tensile stress was
SO4 0.3
Free CaO 0.03 calculated from the imposed tensile loading divided
Total phosphate 0.5 by the cross sectional area of the slender section.
Loss on Ignition (LOI) <2.0 0.14 Bluehill-2 computer software was used to control the
Physical properties testing apparatus and to enable continuous moni-
Specific gravity 2.20 2.65 toring of the applied load and displacement. In
Surface area (m2/kg) 1300 addition, a 16-bit data acquisition device was used to
Fineness (% retained on 25 m) <25 record the output signals from the two LVDTs at a
Size distribution (m) and cumulative retained (%) rate of 1 Hz. Figure 4(b) displays the tensile stress-
500 0.1 strain responses obtained from samples 13. The
355 0.5 average tensile strain capacity was found to be 2.7%.
250 1.5
Accordingly, tensile strains of 0.8% and 1.6% were
180 6.0
determined as target initial strain values for samples
125 46.0
90 83.0 preloaded to 30% and 60% of the ultimate tensile
63 96.5 strain, respectively. These samples were then placed
in the same curing tank as before and left to heal.
Upon completion of the mixing process, the ECC was
scooped and then poured into ten equally sized
Plexiglas molds (see Figure 3). Extra care was taken
when pouring the mixture to ensure even fiber
distribution, particularly at the center narrower
section of the molds of which the testing would be
focused. Once the samples were cast, they were
covered with polythene sheeting for 24 hours before
being removed from the molds and then placed in a
small curing tank for 13 days. The temperature at
which the curing took place was controlled to 201oC.
(a)
5
Tensile stress (MPa)
2
Sample 1
1 Sample 2
Sample 3
0
0 1 2 3 4
Tensile strain (%)
(b)
Figure 4. (a) Dog-bone Sample during Uniaxial Tensile
Figure 3. Plexiglass Mold used to Produce the Dog-bone Testing and (b) Tensile Stress-strain Responses of Samples
Samples 13
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Suryanto, B. et al. / Self-healing of Micro-cracks in Engineered Cementitious Composites / CED, Vol. 17, No. 3, December 2015, pp. 187194
Rp (3) 3250
vp
3000
where p,w is the UPV of the preloaded samples
during the self-healing test and p is the UPV of the 2750
same samples prior to preloading. This parameter
provides an indication of the combined influence of 2500
micro-cracks, continued hydration and crack-heal- 0 7 14 21 28
ing. The normalized ratio Rn can then be used to get Time (days)
an indication of the extent of (Equation 4) crack-
healing: 22
Rp (b)
Rn (4) 20
Rc 18
Ed (GPa)
16
14
12
10
0 7 14 21 28
Time (days)
Receiver ECC sample Transmitter
Figure 6. The Influence of Curing Time on (a) Bulk UPV
Figure 5. A Schematic Diagram of the UPV Tests and (b) Dynamic Modulus of Elasticity of Samples P1-P3
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Suryanto, B. et al. / Self-healing of Micro-cracks in Engineered Cementitious Composites / CED, Vol. 17, No. 3, December 2015, pp. 187194
Ed
1 d 1 2 d v 2 (5)
are damaged to 30% and 60% of the strain capacity,
respectively. The larger drop in the normalized UPV
1 d values in samples tested to 60% of the tensile strain
where Ed is the dynamic modulus of elasticity, d is capacity is attributed to the presence of a larger
the dynamic Poissons ratio and is the mass number of micro-cracks which was also observed
density. Assuming a constant mass density of 1921 visually.
kg/m3, which was measured at 28 days after casting,
and a constant dynamic Poissons ratio of 0.23 [16], The rapid increase in UPV over the initial few days
the dynamic modulus of elasticity, Ed, can be of exposure (see Figure 8), which resembles the early
computed using Equation 5 and the results are hydration shown previously (Figure 6(a)), reflects an
presented in Figure 6(b). It is apparent that intense self-healing activity. This pronounced heal-
increasing hydration time has a notable influence on ing activity may occur as a result of the hydration of
the dynamic modulus of elasticity. Over the initial either unhydrated or partially hydrated cement
three days of curing, the dynamic elastic modulus particles which were previously encapsulated by
increases rapidly from an average value of 13.3 GPa hydration products and thus unreachable by mois-
at 1-day hydration to 18.5 GPa at 3-days hydration. ture. It is postulated that cracking can create
This value plateaus at approximately 20 GPa at 10 channels through which moisture can then access
days. these unhydrated/partially hydrated cement parti-
cles, allowing the hydration process to take place,
Dog-bone Samples thereby allowing these particles to grow and even-
tually seal the micro-cracks. Visual inspection of the
The normalized UPV taken from three control sample surface after 14 days immersion in water
samples, Rc, is presented in Figure 7. As has been show the presence of white striations (see Figure 9),
observed in the prism samples, a very slight increas- indicating that the micro-cracks have been effec-
ing trend with exposure time can be observed (<1%), tively healed. A more detailed analysis of the
which can be related to continual refinement of pore- morphology and compositions of these healing pro-
structure. To obtain the extent of initial damage and ducts is currently being carried out.
self-healing, the UPV values for the preloaded sam-
ples were normalized, in accordance with Equation 1.0
3, and the results are presented in Figure 8. In
general terms, the response can be divided into three 0.9
Rn
1.00
0.99
0.98
0 7 14 21 28
Exposure time (days)
s
Figure 7. Normalized UPV Values for Samples 4 and 5
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Suryanto, B. et al. / Self-healing of Micro-cracks in Engineered Cementitious Composites / CED, Vol. 17, No. 3, December 2015, pp. 187194
It is also apparent from Figure 8 that the initial self- damaged to a greater extent. The faster recovery
healing rate is largely dictated by the extent of initial in samples damaged to a greater extent reflects
damage. In samples damaged to 30% and 60% of the simultaneous healing of a greater number of
tensile strain capacity, for example, average reco- micro-cracks, indicating that the crack widths in
veries of 9.8% and 15.9% can be observed and this these samples are comparable to those in sam-
difference can be associated with the difference in ples damaged to a lesser extent. This finding
the number of micro-cracks. This can be explained by supports the notion that the developed mixture
the fact that in samples experiencing a greater initial exhibits controlled crack width. However, it was
tensile strain, a larger number of micro-cracks deve- found that the more damaged samples did not
lop which then provides a larger surface area, in the exhibit the same total recovery extent of those
form of crack surfaces. As the crack width remains damaged to a lesser extent.
small, healing products can therefore precipitate
simultaneously on these crack surfaces, thereby lead- Acknowledgements
ing to an apparent accelerated healing. This finding
confirms the ability of the developed mixture to The authors wish to acknowledge the support of
exhibit controlled crack width. Should the micro- Kuraray Japan and Kuraray Europe GmbH for
cracks have widened significantly, the rate of healing providing the PVA fibers and BASF UK for donating
would decrease, resulting in a much slower recovery the admixture. Financial support from the School of
in UPV [15]. Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society,
Heriot-Watt University, is gratefully acknowledged.
From the results presented in Figure 8, it is also Thanks also expressed to Ms. L. L. Teodoro for
apparent that the normalized UPV in samples pre- assistance in the experimental work as part of the
loaded to 30% tensile strain capacity plateaus after Science without Borders Programme.
three days immersion in water whereas in the other
series of samples, this occurs after 10 days. The References
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