Investigating the Effect of GNP Addition on Self-healing of ECC through Mechanical and Nondestructive Testing

Abstract

Inclusion of nanomaterials is an effective method for enhancing the mechanical and durability characteristics of cement-based materials. Among various graphene-based nanomaterials, graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) are cost-effective nanoparticles that possess graphene's key properties. Since limited information is available regarding their influence on the fresh, mechanical, non-destructive, and self-healing behavior of Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC), this research focuses on GNP inclusion on these properties of ECC in a comprehensive way. In this research, the changes in material properties of ECC were monitored with several mechanical and nondestructive test methods. According to the results, GNP inclusion significantly enhanced flexural behavior and also promoted self-healing of ECC, with preloaded specimens exhibiting substantial or complete crack closure and similar performance to virgin specimens. Non-destructive tests and microstructural analyses also confirmed the promoting effects of GNP. A noticeable increase was observed in compressive strength when GNP was included. In conclusion, this study provides compelling evidence about the positive impact of GNP inclusion on improving the properties of ECC. The findings demonstrate the potential of GNPs to enhance the performance of cementitious materials and offer valuable insights for future research and practical applications.