A study on the mechanical properties of eco-friendly low-cost polyethylene fiber-reinforced engineered cementitious composites

Abstract

For several decades, there has been a growing concern about sustainability in the construction industry. The excellent mechanical properties of engineered cementitious composite (ECC) make it an important building material that improves the durability, crack resistance and overall performance of structures. However, the high cost and environmental impact issues associated with conventional ECC limit its wide application in engineering. In this study, ECC was prepared by partially replacing cement with industrial wastes, replacing imported fibers with local low-cost polyethylene (PE) fibers, and replacing micro-silica sand with river sand. The effects of fly ash content, slag content, and river sand particle size on the mechanical properties of PE-ECC were systematically analyzed. The study showed that the mixture using 70 % of industrial solid waste instead of cement achieved a tensile strain capacity of 7.35 % and a compressive strength of 70.9 MPa. Also, the densities of all mixtures were below 1.85 g/cm³, which belong to lightweight concrete. Notably, the eco-friendly PE-ECC showed a 40–50 % reduction in energy consumption, CO₂ emission and cost compared to conventional ECC. This study promotes the greening and low-costing of ECC, which is conducive to the goal of sustainable development in the construction industry.