PVA FIBER - FLY ASH CEMENTITIOUS COMPOSITE: ASSESSMENT OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) come under the category of high performance fiber reinforced cementitious composites (HPFRCC), exhibiting high ductility and strain hardening behavior. ECC generally consumes high volumes of cement and hence causes harmful impact on environment. This paper is aimed to highlight the mechanical behaviour of fly ash - cementitious composite incorporating Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) fiber. The PVA fiber volume fraction (Vf) was maintained at 1% of total volume of the composite. Though there is a reduction in compressive strength with increase in fly ash content, tensile strain capacity of about 1.2 % was achieved for 20% fly ash replacement for cement. At this flyash replacement level, higher content of fiber (1.5% and 2%) was tried and at Vf of 2%, tensile strain capacity of 2.3% could be achieved.