Engineering low clinker Strain-Hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) using polyethylene and cost-effective polypropylene fibers: An experimental scale-linking analysis
This paper reports on an experimental scale-linking study aimed at the design and mechanical characterization of low-clinker and cost-efficient strain-hardening cementitious composites (SHCC). Three distinct matrices were examined, each comprising a limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) binder with r...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Materials & Design |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S026412752500471X |
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| author | Ameer Hamza Ahmed Julia Hübner Dominik Junger Cesare Signorini Marko Butler Marco Liebscher Christina Scheffler Viktor Mechtcherine |
| author_facet | Ameer Hamza Ahmed Julia Hübner Dominik Junger Cesare Signorini Marko Butler Marco Liebscher Christina Scheffler Viktor Mechtcherine |
| author_sort | Ameer Hamza Ahmed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper reports on an experimental scale-linking study aimed at the design and mechanical characterization of low-clinker and cost-efficient strain-hardening cementitious composites (SHCC). Three distinct matrices were examined, each comprising a limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) binder with reduced Portland cement (PC) contents of 50 %, 35 %, and 25 %. These fine-grained matrices were reinforced with cost-effective and low-tenacity polypropylene (PP) fibers, while high-performance and expensive polyethylene (PE) fibers were used as a benchmark. Various micro-, meso-, and macro-scale mechanical and analytical tests were performed after 28 days of curing age, including single fiber pull-out, uniaxial tensile testing on notched and unnotched specimens, flexure, compression testing, digital image correlation analysis, and environmental scanning electron microscopy. The results clearly showed that the low tensile strength and high compliance of PP, when combined with a low-strength matrix containing only 25 wt% PC, contributed to better strain-hardening behavior, attributed to the fine-tuning of the micromechanical design of the interacting phases. Naturally, such a design significantly enhances the sustainability credentials of SHCC while at the same time increasing its cost-saving potential, evening out the response of high-performance and costly PE fibers incorporated into a high-strength matrix (e.g., with 50 wt% PC). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0e7c02feecb84159af87f0e96cbe59cc |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0264-1275 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials & Design |
| spelling | doaj-art-0e7c02feecb84159af87f0e96cbe59cc2025-08-20T02:35:43ZengElsevierMaterials & Design0264-12752025-06-0125411405110.1016/j.matdes.2025.114051Engineering low clinker Strain-Hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) using polyethylene and cost-effective polypropylene fibers: An experimental scale-linking analysisAmeer Hamza Ahmed0Julia Hübner1Dominik Junger2Cesare Signorini3Marko Butler4Marco Liebscher5Christina Scheffler6Viktor Mechtcherine7Institute of Construction Materials, TU Dresden 01062 Dresden, GermanyLeibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, GermanyInstitute of Construction Materials, TU Dresden 01062 Dresden, GermanyInstitute of Construction Materials, TU Dresden 01062 Dresden, Germany; Corresponding authors.Institute of Construction Materials, TU Dresden 01062 Dresden, GermanyLeibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany; Corresponding authors.Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, GermanyInstitute of Construction Materials, TU Dresden 01062 Dresden, GermanyThis paper reports on an experimental scale-linking study aimed at the design and mechanical characterization of low-clinker and cost-efficient strain-hardening cementitious composites (SHCC). Three distinct matrices were examined, each comprising a limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) binder with reduced Portland cement (PC) contents of 50 %, 35 %, and 25 %. These fine-grained matrices were reinforced with cost-effective and low-tenacity polypropylene (PP) fibers, while high-performance and expensive polyethylene (PE) fibers were used as a benchmark. Various micro-, meso-, and macro-scale mechanical and analytical tests were performed after 28 days of curing age, including single fiber pull-out, uniaxial tensile testing on notched and unnotched specimens, flexure, compression testing, digital image correlation analysis, and environmental scanning electron microscopy. The results clearly showed that the low tensile strength and high compliance of PP, when combined with a low-strength matrix containing only 25 wt% PC, contributed to better strain-hardening behavior, attributed to the fine-tuning of the micromechanical design of the interacting phases. Naturally, such a design significantly enhances the sustainability credentials of SHCC while at the same time increasing its cost-saving potential, evening out the response of high-performance and costly PE fibers incorporated into a high-strength matrix (e.g., with 50 wt% PC).http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S026412752500471XLC3SHCCClinker factorDICPolypropylenePolyethylene |
| spellingShingle | Ameer Hamza Ahmed Julia Hübner Dominik Junger Cesare Signorini Marko Butler Marco Liebscher Christina Scheffler Viktor Mechtcherine Engineering low clinker Strain-Hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) using polyethylene and cost-effective polypropylene fibers: An experimental scale-linking analysis Materials & Design LC3 SHCC Clinker factor DIC Polypropylene Polyethylene |
| title | Engineering low clinker Strain-Hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) using polyethylene and cost-effective polypropylene fibers: An experimental scale-linking analysis |
| title_full | Engineering low clinker Strain-Hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) using polyethylene and cost-effective polypropylene fibers: An experimental scale-linking analysis |
| title_fullStr | Engineering low clinker Strain-Hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) using polyethylene and cost-effective polypropylene fibers: An experimental scale-linking analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Engineering low clinker Strain-Hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) using polyethylene and cost-effective polypropylene fibers: An experimental scale-linking analysis |
| title_short | Engineering low clinker Strain-Hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) using polyethylene and cost-effective polypropylene fibers: An experimental scale-linking analysis |
| title_sort | engineering low clinker strain hardening cementitious composites shcc using polyethylene and cost effective polypropylene fibers an experimental scale linking analysis |
| topic | LC3 SHCC Clinker factor DIC Polypropylene Polyethylene |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S026412752500471X |
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