BENDABLE

CONCRETE
Contents:
• Introduction
• What is Bendable Concrete?
• Materials Used in Bendable Concrete
• Advantages of Bendable Concrete
• Disadvantages of Bendable Concrete
• Uses of ECC or Bendable Concrete
• Some of the Structures Constructed by Using Bendable Concrete
 Introduction
Concrete is widely used in today’s construction industry. It has good load
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 stress. It fails under the tensile load. The bendable concrete is a
good substitute for this problem.
Bendable concrete is a class of ultra-ductile fiber reinforced cementitious
composites, characterized by high ductility and tight crack with control.
This material is capable to exhibit considerably enhanced flexibility.
What is Bendable Concrete?
 It is a special type of concrete that can take the bending stresses. It consist of
special type of materials that makes it flexible.
 It was developed by the professor victor Li at the University of Michigan.
 It’s 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
Materials Used In
Bendable Concrete
1. Fibres
Reinforcement
• For giving the concrete flexibility of we have to alter the material of the
conventional concrete.
• Bendable concrete is composed of all the ingredients of a traditional
concrete minus coarse aggregates and instead we use the fibres that are
used in the fibre reinforced concrete such as silica fibres, glass fibres, steel
fibres, asbestos fibres, polyvinyl fibres, etc.
• The micro fibres provide the flexibility to the concrete. It also act as a
reinforcement material in the concrete.
2. Slick Coating (Anti-friction Coating)
• Additionally, the slick coating (anti-friction coating) is provided so that
fibres particles can slide one another and does not have the friction which
may result into the cracks in concrete.
• This tendency of slipping of fibres 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.
3. Fine Sand
• The fine silica sand is suitable for the bendable 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, fly ash,
silica fume, blast furnace slag can also be used in the concrete.
4. Superplasticizer
• Polycarboxylated ether, lignosulfonates, lignin, naphthalene or melamine
formal dehyde sulphonate (anyone) is used in the concrete for increasing
the workability of the concrete. Latex can also be used in the concrete for
improving it’s flexibility.
Advantages of
Bendable Concrete
• The bendable concrete has the ability to bend like a metal.
• It is stronger, more durable, and lasts longer than conventional concrete.
• It has a self-healing property that it can heal itself using carbon 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 bendable concrete is approximately 20 to 40% 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.
Disadvantages of Bendable Concrete