Modeling of bending-induced multi-crack propagation in engineered cementitious composites (ECC): A fracture-coupled multiscale approach

Engineering Cementitious Composites (ECC) exhibit exceptional ductility and deformation-hardening behavior, with performance significantly influenced by loading configuration. While current theoretical studies predominantly focus on ECC behavior under tension, more prevalent bending scenarios encountered in practical engineering applications have not been adequately investigated. To bridge this gap, a comprehensive multi-scale model capable of simulating ECC's bending behavior was developed. The model integrates ECC's microstructural characteristics and accounts for crack propagation criteria as well as stress redistribution between cracks to accurately represent the multi-crack propagation process under bending. For the tested ECC, the simulated results showed good agreement with experimentations, and the model captures the discrete nature of ECC's bending properties by introducing randomness into parameters. Additionally, the disparities in ECC's mechanical responses under bending versus tension were investigated through both theoretical modeling and experimental validation. By enhancing the understanding of ECC's bending behavior, this study should facilitate the practical application of ECC in engineering contexts.