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All about Flexible Concrete or Bendable Concrete | Engineered

Cementitious Composite(ECC)
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Engineered Cementitious Composite Articles
This article will enlighten a unique construction material i.e. the flexible
concrete also known as bendable concrete. This material can bring the
revolution because of its some special quality such as flexibility, self-healing,
lighter weight, etc. In some countries such as Japan, Korea, U.S.A, etc the By Anand Paul
flexible concrete is used in many structure. But in India it is still a new on April 5, 2017
material and requires proper research for its use in India. Soon we may saw 1
the use of flexible concrete in many structure.

By Ashutosh
Gupta on April

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 Gupta on April
1, 2017
1

By Anand on
March 21, 2017
5

By Ashutosh
Flexible concrete specimen made by Professor Victor Li Gupta on March
19, 2017

Concrete is widely used in todays construction industry. It has good load 3

bearing capacity. It can take the compressive load very effectively. But the
main problem with the traditional concrete is that it cannot take much tensile
stresses. It fails under the tensile load. The flexible concrete is a good
By Anand Paul
substitute for this problem.
on March 9,
2017
6

What is Flexible Concrete? Search

It is special type of concrete that can take the bending stresses. It consist of
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special type of materials that makes it flexible. It was developed by the
Group
Professor Victor Li at the University of Michigan. Its engineering name is
Engineered Cementitious Composite(ECC). It exhibits the property of a
ductile material instead of a brittle material which is shown by the
conventional concrete.

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 Materials used in Bendable Concrete
Fibres reinforcement:
For giving the concrete flexibility we have to alter the material of the
conventional concrete. In the flexible concrete we eliminate the coarse
aggregate. Instead of that we use the fibres that are used in the fibre
reinforced concrete such as silica fibres, glass fibres, steel fibres, asbestos
fibers, polyvinyl alcohol fibers, etc. The micro fibres provide the flexibility to
the concrete. It also act as a reinforcement material in the concrete. Related
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 Canal Maintenance and
Operation
Response Spectrum Method Of
Analysis with simplified
examples
Fibre Reinforced Concrete
Vibro-Compaction or Vibro-
Flotation for Ground
Improvement | Principle | Images
ACI Mix Design Practical
Example

Different types of reinforcement fibres used in Bendable

Concrete

Slick coating (anti-friction coating): Let your friends

know!
Additionally the slick coating (anti-frictional coating) is provided so that the
fibers particles can slide over one another and does not have the friction
which may result into the cracks in concrete. This tendency of slipping of
fibers over one another helps the concrete to minimize the crack and provide

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 fibers over one another helps the concrete to minimize the crack and provide
flexibility to the concrete. The normal cement can be used for the concrete.

Fine sand:
The fine silica sand is suitable for the flexible concrete which is used in the
water treatment plant but if it is not available the normal sand can be used
but it may effects the strength and flexibility of concrete. We can also add fly
ash, silica fume, blast furnace slag can also be used in the concrete.

Silica sand & Silica sand close-up

Superplasticizer:
Polycarboxylated ether, lignosulfonates, lignin, napthalene or melamine
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 formal dehyde sulphonate(any one) is used in the concrete for increasing the
workability of the concrete. Latex can also be used in the concrete for
improving its flexibility.

Effect of Plasticizers on cement

Advantages of flexible concrete

The flexible concrete has the ability to bend like a metal
It is more Stronger, more durable, and lasts longer than conventional
concrete
It has a self-healing property that is it can heal itself by using carbon
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 dioxide and rainwater
It is not brittle like a glass
It is more resistant to cracking
It does not emit that amount of harmful gases as compared to conventional
concrete.
The flexible concrete is approx. 20-40 percent lighter
The use of steel reinforcement is reduces and can be eliminated
It reduces the cost of the project
It can be used as precast concrete.

Steel fibres used in Bendable Concrete

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 Disadvantages of flexible concrete
It has a high initial cost as compared to conventional concrete.
It requires skilled labor for its construction.
It needs some special type of materials which can be difficult to find in
some areas.
Its quality depend upon the material used and the condition under which it
is made.
Its compressive strength can be lesser than the conventional concrete.

Special features of Bendable concrete

The bending strength or tensile capacity of flexible concrete is in the range
of 10 to 15 MPa and compressive strength is upto 70 MPa.
It has a self-healing property as the cement particles make reaction with
the rain water and makes some complex product that expands and fill the
microcracks that are developed in the flexible concrete.
The flexible concrete is proved to be lighter and also proved to be 500
times more flexible than normal concrete.
Its ultimate tensile strain capacity is 3 to 5 %.
The strain capacity in flexible concrete is 300 times more than conventional
concrete. Due to this the concrete is act like a flexible material such as metal.

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 Flexure test on Flexible concrete beam

Uses of ECC or Bendable Concrete

Earthquake resistance building: The structure made with the flexible
concrete can take more tensile stresses that it does not break down due to
the vibration caused by the earthquake. In Japan a 60 floor is under
construction which uses this concrete.

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 Structure made with flexible concrete

Concrete canvas: The concrete canvas can also be made with the flexible
concrete. The concrete canvas is stronger and durable than the normal
canvas. It can be used in the military area.

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 Concrete canvas made by flexible
concrete

For roads & bridges: It can be used in roads and bridges. With the use of
flexible concrete in roads and bridges there is no need of joints such as
expansion joint, contraction joint as the concrete is itself have the ability to
change its shape. Moreover the bridges and roads are more durable and has
low repair cost.

Comparison between Conventional Concrete &

Bendable Concrete
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 Point of difference
Normal Concrete Engineered Cementitious Com

The normal concrete structure are less durable.

Durability The flexible concrete structure

The structure made with the original concrete are prone to As the flexible concrete does n
Earthquake resistance earthquake. They generally forms cracks or may collapse earthquake motion. So the stru
during earthquake. concrete are more earthquake

The flexible concrete has a ver

The normal concrete has very low self-healing property as it
Self-healing property property as it can heal the micr
has very low free cement concrete.
reaction of carbon dioxide and

The repair & maintenance cost of concrete structure is high The repair & maintenance cost
Repair & maintenance as it developed cracks and other defects. as it does not develop that muc

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 The self-weight of conventional concrete is more
The flexible concrete is 30-40 %
Self-weight
conventional concrete

The fibre reinforcement can pro

The steel bar reinforcement is require for taking the tensile
Reinforcement strength in the concrete so less
load.
reinforcement is require.

The concrete structure generally requires more curing time The flexible concrete requires le
Curing time
(around 28 days). days)

Labour It requires less skilled labour It requires more skilled labour

The cost of construction is less as it consist of common

Cost The initial cost of construction
material

Reference
1. http://www.progressiveengineer.com/profiles/victorLi.html
2. https://lofi.phys.org/news/2016-08-bendable-concrete-stronger-
durable.html
3. http://www.eurekamagazine.co.uk/design-engineering-
features/technology/polymer-fibres-make-flexible-concrete-to-withstand-
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 earthquakes/3413/
4. http://www.concretecanvas.com/

1 Comment

Add a comment...

Amitabh Srivastava
New Delhi, India

its very good to get information about new building materials.

the article provides knowldege in the very simple form, easy to understand.
Like Reply Apr 5, 2017 11:34am

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Tags: Advantages of flexible concrete , Conventional Concrete & Bendable

Concrete, Disadvantages of flexible concrete , Engineered Cementitious
Composite, feature of Bendable concrete, flexible concrete, Point of
difference, Slick coating (anti-friction coating), Uses of bendable concrete ,
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 Uses of ECC, Uses of flexible concrete , What is Flexible Concrete

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Article Browser Contents Categories

1. CivilDigital 1 Engineered Cementitious Categories

2. Civil Engineering Articles Composite
3. Concrete Select Category
2 What is Flexible Concrete?
4. All about Flexible Concrete or
3 Materials used in Bendable
Bendable Concrete | Engineered
Concrete
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 Concrete
Cementitious Composite(ECC)
3.1 Fibres reinforcement:
3.2 Slick coating (anti-friction
coating):
3.3 Fine sand:
3.4 Superplasticizer:
4 Advantages of flexible concrete
5 Disadvantages of flexible concrete
6 Special features of Bendable
concrete
7 Uses of ECC or Bendable
Concrete
8 Comparison between
Conventional Concrete & Bendable
Concrete
8.1 Reference

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