Incorporating Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Research Articles

Mechanical strength of rubberized concrete: Effects of rubber particle size, content, and waste fibre reinforcement

Concrete production, ubiquitous in global construction, exerts significant environmental strain, notably through cement manufacturing's carbon footprint and natural sand depletion. As a response, researchers are exploring eco-friendly alternatives, including Waste Tyre Rubber (WTR) aggregates which replace natural sand in concrete. This study investigates the impact of WTR particle sizes (ranging from 0.2 to 4 mm) and volumetric replacements (0–54 %) on Rubberised Concrete Mortar (RuCM) and Rubberised Concrete (RuC) mechanical properties. Additionally, Waste Tyre Steel Fibre (WTSF) reinforcement effects (volume dosage between 0 % and 3 %) are examined and compared with Commercial Steel Fibre (CSF). The study optimizes RuCM and RuC mixes via particle packing theory, incorporating Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) and Fly Ash (FA) as cement replacements. Mechanical tests reveal the compressive and flexural strength reduces with an increasing WTR dosage, attributed to the inherent softness of WTR and the weak interfacial bonding between WTR particles and surrounding matrix. Utilizing an optimized RuC mixture with a 10 % WTR replacement yields substantial mechanical improvements, showcasing a remarkable 195 % surge in compressive strength and a noteworthy 61 % elevation in flexural strength over conventional concrete (CC). However, when compared to the control mix devoid of rubber replacement, there is a modest reduction of 16 % in compressive strength and 4 % in flexural strength. Moreover, the incorporation of WTSF reinforcement proves beneficial in mitigating compressive strength losses post rubber particle inclusion and brings about a substantial increase in flexural strength with 3 % volumetric additions. Quantitative analysis reveals the reinforcement effect from WTSF is comparable to the effect of CSF reinforcement. These findings underscore the intricacies and potential opportunities in harnessing WTR and WTSF for the development of resilient and sustainable concrete formulations.

A comprehensive study on mechanical properties, durability, and environmental impact of fiber-reinforced concrete incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag

Concrete pavements are integral to sustainable infrastructure, offering longevity and resilience in construction and transportation. This study focuses on optimizing concrete pavements through the incorporation of steel and carbon fibers with Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) to enhance mechanical strength, reduce fracture development, and minimize carbon emissions. Utilizing 25 mixing designs with a consistent water-to-cement ratio of 0.40, varying ratios of GGBS, steel fibers, and carbon fibers (0.5 %, 1 %, and 1.5 % based on concrete volume) were explored. A comprehensive evaluation, including slump, compressive strength, flexural strength, split tensile strength, water absorption, abrasion resistance tests, carbon dioxide emissions, and cost analysis, was conducted at different curing stages. Results revealed a decline in compressive strength for all mix designs at 28 days, attributed to reduced cement strength with GGBS substitution. The 1.5 % steel fiber and 50 % GGBS mix demonstrated minimal compressive strength reduction (30.1 MPa, 5.5 % less than control), outperforming other mixtures. Steel fibers surpassed carbon fibers, likely due to \\erior distribution. Notably, 1.5 % steel fibers showed superior results, particularly with 50 % GGBS. Compressive strength generally increased with GGBS content, except for 1 % fibrous samples where 40 % GGBS produced optimal results. At 90 days, compressive strength increased for most designs, with G50S1.5 exhibiting over 38 % growth compared to the control. Steel fiber-containing samples outperformed carbon fiber-containing ones, showcasing the efficacy of steel fibers in enhancing compressive strength. Split tensile strength generally decreased, but steel fibers improved it, emphasizing their positive influence. Flexural strength increased in 28 and 90 days, with steel fiber-containing designs outperforming. G30S1.5 showed the most significant increase (33.3 %) at 28 days, and G30S1.5 exhibited the highest growth (32.22 %) at 90 days. Abrasion resistance tests indicated steel fibers and GGBS positively impacted abrasion reduction. G50S1.5 demonstrated the highest abrasion resistance (25 % increase over control). The environmental evaluation revealed lower CO2 emissions for GGBS-containing designs. G50S0.5 showed a 40.34 % reduction compared to the control sample. Cost analysis showed GGBS reduced costs, but fiber addition, particularly carbon fibers, increased costs. G30C1.5 had the highest cost increase (208.5 %), while G50S1.5 showed a marginal rise (3.9 %) compared to the control. Therefore, steel fibers in concrete pavements offer improved mechanical properties, durability, and reduced environmental impact, making them a viable choice despite a slight increase in cost. Conversely, carbon fibers are cautioned against due to their higher cost and inferior mechanical properties.

Enhancing multi-objective mix design for GGBS-based geopolymer concrete with natural mineral blends under ambient curing: A Taguchi-Grey relational optimization

Rising populations and industrial expansion necessitate sustainable alternatives to conventional cement-based concrete. Geopolymers, with their impressive mechanical properties, eco-friendliness, and potential for waste utilization, offer a promising solution. Yet, concerns like rapid setting and low workability limit their widespread adoption. This study addresses these challenges by optimizing a geopolymer concrete incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) blended with bentonite and dolomite minerals. Employing the Taguchi method, we optimized the mix design considering key factors like binder content, mineral replacements, alkaline-to-binder ratio, and solution ratios. Grey-Relational Analysis identified the optimal mix with 10 % bentonite and dolomite replacement, a 0.55 alkaline-to-binder ratio, 12 M NaOH solution, and 425 kg/m3 cementing materials. This optimized mix exhibited significantly improved setting times, enhanced workability, and the highest compressive strength among all tested mixtures. Experimental validation confirms its effectiveness, highlighting its potential as a sustainable alternative. Importantly, this research explores GGBS as a replacement for commonly used Fly Ash, further advancing sustainable construction practices.

Microstructural and mechanical properties of a high-strength geopolymer based on coal-based synthetic natural gas slag cured at ambient temperature

In this study, an effort was made to enhance the mechanical properties of coal-based synthetic natural gas slag (CSNGS) geopolymer with curing at ambient temperature by incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS). The effects of GBFS content, activator modulus and alkali content on the compressive strength of CSNGS-GBFS (CG) geopolymers were analyzed, and the microstructural characteristics and the compositional evolution of reaction products were also investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM/EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and thermogravimetric analyzer (TG) tests. It was found that the mechanical properties of CG geopolymers was highly dependent on the of GBFS content. When the GBFS content was 50%, the 1-day and 28-day strengths of the geopolymer were 50.8 MPa and 120.2 MPa, respectively. Increasing alkali content resulted in the strength of geopolymer to increase and then decrease, whereas, the strength of geopolymer increased monotonically with a decrease in activator modulus. The results also showed that with increasing the GBFS contents, the characteristic peaks corresponding to the gels in the XRD patterns became gradually obvious with highly denser microstructures formed by a number of gels in the SEM micrographs, and the Ca/Si ratio and Ca/(Si + Al) ratio of the reaction products were increased, revealing that the gels generated in CG geopolymers was a mixture of N-A-S-H and C-(A)-S-H gels, which corroborated with the observed the stretching vibration of Si–O-T (T = Si or Al) in FT-IR spectrum shifted from 1013 cm−1 to 990 cm−1 and the corresponding temperatures of the mass loss peaks increased form 104 °C–114 °C. In addition, the dissolution of raw materials was promoted owing to the reduction of the activator modulus, but the change of activator modulus had little effect on the thermal stability of the gels. These findings suggest that CSNGS has the potential to prepare high-strength geopolymers at ambient temperature, providing an attractive avenue for reducing the environmental impact of CSNGS and conserving natural resources.

Study of Performance and Durability of Geopolymer Concrete Incorporating Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag

Study of Performance and Durability of Geopolymer Concrete Incorporating Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag

Effects of modified binders on flowability of grout and properties of preplaced aggregate concrete

In preplaced aggregate concrete (PAC), it is important yet complex to achieve a grout with high flowability and bleed resistance simultaneously. Supplementary cementitious materials, typically incorporated to impart desired properties to concrete and to complement economic and environmental benefits, may uniquely alter the properties of PAC to that of conventional concrete. Therefore, comprehensive knowledge of incorporating supplementary cementitious materials, considering alterations in their flowability and constituent materials to improve the overall performance of PAC is essential. The present study investigates the properties of PAC, incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and silica fume (SF) as partial replacement of cement at 0–40% and 0–10%, respectively. Different proportions of GGBS and SF were considered, where, flowability and superplasticizer dosage were varied with and without incorporating sand. Grout properties were evaluated in terms of flowability and compressive strength and PAC properties were evaluated in terms of mechanical strength, durability, and dimensional stability. The findings revealed that the combination of GGBS and SF in grout displayed suitable flowability and acceptable strength. Removal of sand from grout improved the properties of grout while deteriorating the properties of PAC. PAC produced using grout with 10% SF and sand to binder ratio of 0.5, exhibiting efflux time of less than 20 s, displayed the highest compressive strength. GGBS and SF significantly improved chloride ion penetration of PAC with the drawback of increased drying shrinkage. Nevertheless, all PAC mixes could still be classified as low shrinkage concrete. PAC produced with 40% GGBS and 10% SF exhibited comparable compressive strength and enhanced resistance to chloride ion penetration to that of PAC without GGBS/SF.

Towards Sustainable Stabilization: Utilizing Waste Material as Binder

The expansion and contraction of black cotton soil makes it difficult to build structures on it. The expansion and contraction behavior of black cotton soil must be adapted to make it suitable for construction purposes. This research is an attempt to evaluate the geotechnical characteristics of black cotton soil by performing laboratory testing incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) (10, 20, 30 and 40%) and polypropylene fiber (0.5, 1 and 1.5%) so as to use the combination as subgrade material. Various laboratory testing’s such as consistency limits, compaction and California bearing ratio (CBR) tests were conducted on varying amount of both the materials. The laboratory tests revealed that adding the right amount of GGBFS and polypropylene fiber alone or in combination improved the geotechnical features of black cotton soil (BCS). The mix obtained does not only solve the problems associated with BCS but also provides a cost effective solution for soil stabilization.

Modeling the compressive strength of eco-friendly self-compacting concrete incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag using soft computing techniques.

Concern regarding global climate change and its detrimental effects on society demands the building sector, one of the major contributors to global warming. Reducing cement usage is a significant challenge for the concrete industry; achieving this objective can help reduce global carbon dioxide emissions. Replacing the cement in concrete with by-product ashes is a promising approach for reducing the embodied carbon in concrete and improving some of its properties. Among different by-product ashes, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) is a viable option to produce sustainable self-compacting concrete (SCC). Compressive strength (CS), on the other hand, is an essential characteristic among other evaluated properties. As a result, establishing trustworthy models to forecast the CS of SCC is critical to saving cost, time, and energy. Furthermore, it provides helpful instruction for planning building projects and determining the best time to remove the formwork. In this study, four alternative models were suggested to predict the CS of SCC mixes produced by GGBFS: the artificial neural network (ANN), nonlinear model (NLR), linear relationship model (LR), and multi-logistic model (MLR). To do so, an extensive set of data consisting of about 200 mixtures were extracted and analyzed to develop the models, and various mixture proportions and curing times were considered input variables. To test the effectiveness of the suggested models, several statistical evaluations including determination coefficient (R2), mean absolute error (MAE), scatter index (SI), root mean squared error (RMSE), and objective (OBJ) value were utilized. In comparison to other models, the ANN model performed better to forecast the CS of SCC mixes incorporating GGBFS. The RMSE, MAE, OBJ, and R2 values for this model were 4.73MPa, 2.3MPa, 3.4MPa, and 0.955, respectively.

Assessing the Effect of GGBFS Content on Mechanical and Durability Properties of High-Strength Mortars

As a large amount of steel is produced for the industrialization and modernization of Vietnam, a correspondingly large quantity of steel slag is also released annually. Besides, the demand for mortar is increasing due to urbanization, especially for the high-strength and durability mortar used for important constructions and structures in aggressive environmental areas. This study aims to carry out further research into high-strength mortars incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). The control mixture was designed with a water-to-binder ratio of 0.2, and the amount of silica fume used was equal to 25% of the total binder amount by mass. Four other mixtures were designed using GGBFS to substitute for 15, 30, 45, and 60% of cement by mass. The engineering properties of fresh and hardened mortars were comprehensively investigated, especially the durability properties. The microstructure of these mortars was also examined using scanning electron microscopy. Test results show that replacing 15 or 30% of cement with GGBFS yields an improvement in mortar's strength and durability properties. All the mortars in this study show excellent qualities with high strength, low water absorption, and high resistance to chloride attack. Moreover, the presence of GGBFS reduces the shrinkage of mortar caused by the drying process. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-05-07 Full Text: PDF

Iodide and chloride ions diffusivity, pore characterization and microstructures of concrete incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag

Innovative approaches are under research to study the resistance of chloride ion penetration in concrete containing chloride ions, to minimize the impact of chloride ion penetration test errors in coastal reinforced concrete (RC), which is helpful to the design of coastal RC structures. In this study, the diffusion depth, free ion concentration and diffusion coefficient of chloride, iodide ions with different curing ages and GGBFS content were measured by the Rapid Chloride Migration Test (RCM) and Rapid Iodide Migration tests (RIM). The SEM-EDS and MIP were used to analyze the microstructures, pore size distribution and the hydrated products. The results show that the performance of GGBFS concrete against the diffusion of corrosive ions is affected by the curing age and the content of GGBFS. With the increase of GGBFS content, especially concrete with 60% GGBFS, the influence of chloride, iodide ion penetrating into concrete gradually becomes smaller. The long-age curing system is more conducive to the concrete resistance to the migration and diffusion of chloride, iodine ions. Compared with the ordinary concrete, the total porosity of concrete mixed with GGBFS is lower, the internal microstructures have fewer cracks and defects, the density is better, and the diffusion coefficient of chloride and iodide ions is also lower. In addition, using the concept of corrosive ion adjustment coefficient (conversion coefficient of diffusion between chloride ion and iodide ion) and applying the data regression analysis (DRA), it is found that there is a good quadratic parabolic function relationship between the GGBFS content and the ions adjustment coefficient.

Long-term autogenous healing and re-healing performance in concrete: Evaluation using air-coupled surface-wave method

This study aimed at investigating two original topics on self-healing concrete, 1) the prediction of long-term healing progress and 2) the evaluation of re-healing performance for a previously healed but reopened crack, using the air-coupled surface-wave method. Small-scale plate concrete specimens were fabricated with a self-healing binder incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag, Na2SO4, anhydrite, and graded clinkers. A single flexural crack of 0.25–0.30 mm width was generated near the mid-span of each specimen. Then, the specimens were kept immersed in water, and the healing progress of the cracks was monitored for approximately one year. As a result, the residual surface crack area was reduced to 15.1% of the fully-cracked condition, and the surface wave transmission ratio recovered up to 82.9% of the uncracked condition. A prediction model for the ultimate healing rate and initial healing rate was proposed based on surface-wave results. After the first self-healing process, the specimens were loaded again, and a similar crack was produced at the previously healed zone in each specimen. Then, the re-healing performance was evaluated for about two months. From the second self-healing process, one specimen with a narrow reopened crack showed a satisfactory recovery in surface wave transmission, comparable to that in the first healing.

Incorporating industrial by-products into cement-free binders: Effects on water absorption, porosity, and chloride penetration

This study investigated the performance of cement-free binders incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), rice husk ash (RHA), and circulating fluidized bed combustion fly ash (CFA). Changes in packing density, water absorption, porosity, chloride penetration, and their correlations were evaluated in specimens produced using four different RHA/(RHA + GGBFS) weight ratios (0%, 15%, 30%, and 45%) and three different CFA/(RHA + GGBFS) weight ratios (10%, 20%, and 30%). The results indicate that changes in RHA and CFA proportions affected binder properties significantly. Furthermore, the high resistance to chloride penetration in the specimens support that these binders provide good durability.

Investigation of Mechanical Properties, Durability and Microstructure of Low-Clinker High-Performance Concretes Incorporating Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag, Siliceous Fly Ash and Silica Fume

The main assumption of eco-efficient High-Performance Concrete (HPC) design is the reduction of Portland cement clinker content without negatively affecting the composite’s mechanical and durability properties. In this paper, three low-clinker HPC mixtures incorporating slag cement (CEM III/B as per EN 197-1) and Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs)—Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS), Siliceous Fly Ash (SFA) and Silica Fume (SF)—were designed. The maximum amount of Portland cement clinker from CEM III/B varied from 64 to 116 kg in 1 m3 of concrete mix. The compressive strength of HPC at 2, 7, 14, 28, 56, 90 days, and 2 years after casting, as well as the modulus of elasticity on 2-year-old specimens, was tested. The depth of water penetration under pressure and internal frost resistance in freeze–thaw tests were evaluated after 56 days of curing. Additionally, the concrete pH value tests were performed. The microstructure of 2-year-old HPC specimens was analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The research proved that it is possible to obtain low-clinker High-Performance Concretes that reach compressive strength of 76–92 MPa after 28 days of curing, show high values of modulus of elasticity (49–52 GPa) as well as increased resistance to frost and water penetration under pressure.

Investigation of strength and impact charecteristics of blended Self cured concrete

Concrete is widely accepted as a durable construction material and being used across the globe for Civil engineering construction. Production of concrete is proved to be unsustainable owing to high amount of CO2 release and solutions being promoted to make it sustainable, also concrete strength and durability enhancement needed to be envisaged due to increased demand. Several attempts were made to produce concrete using multiple admixtures, in this research work we had made an attempt to develop a Geopolymer based concrete ( cementless) by incorporating Ground granulated Blast Furnace slag and fly ash with alkaline binder solution prepared in different molarities ( 10M, 12M, 14M). The mixture is casted and tested for strength and impact resistance after curing for 28 days in sunlight (non-thermal curing). Promising results were obtained in this study with 11M and 14M solutions based geopolymer concrete showing good strength results concerned with compressive and impact strength. Specifically, designed impact strength testing equipment is used in this study which is a novel work done and a cylindrical specimen of 100 mm diameter and 50 mm thickness is used to study impact resistance of concrete.

Microstructure & properties of steel-reinforced concrete incorporating Portland cement and ground granulated blast furnace slag hydrated at 20 °C

The results of a backscattered electron imaging study of the microstructure of the steel- and aggregate-cement paste interfaces of reinforced concrete systems hydrated at 20 °C temperature are reported. The mix using neat OPC showed increasing calcium hydroxide (CH), and decreasing porosity and anhydrous cement levels with respect to age. Higher CH and porosity, and lower anhydrous cement levels at the interfaces compared to the bulk cement were also shown. Mixes incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) at various cement replacement levels showed consistently low CH, and decreasing porosity, anhydrous cement and unreacted slag levels with respect to age. Higher CH and porosity, and lower anhydrous cement and unreacted slag at the interfaces compared to the bulk were also shown. The slope profiles of unreacted slag at the interfaces were steeper suggesting a narrower interfacial transition zone and thus tighter packing for the GGBS incorporated mixes.

Performance of Self Compacting Concrete Incorporating Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag and Metakaolin

The experimental study of two supplementary cementitious material on self-compacting concrete was investigated. Three mixes were designed, the control mix without the supplementary cementitious material, second mix with metakaolin (MK) and third mix with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) both at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% respectively. After each mix preparation, workability test was carried out and specimens of the three mixes were cast and cured in water for 7, 14, 21 and 28 days respectively. Tests on hardened concrete were carried out to know the compressive strength of the three-mix designs. The test results showed that a replacement of 5% of both admixtures GGBFS and Mk increased in the compressive strength compared to the control mix. Also observed was the presence of mineral admixtures that had a significant on the strength loss due to the sodium, calcium and magnesium sulphate attack. The best resistance was obtained for 5% MK and GGBFS at 28 days curing.

Performance of slag based Shirasu geopolymer cured under ambient condition

A pyroclastic flow deposit called Shirasu was used as aluminosilicate in producing geopolymer incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag as an admixture for enhancing the performance when cured under ambient conditions. Past research on the use of Shirasu alone showed very low gain in compressive strength and required longer duration of continuous heat curing under oven dry condition. Hence, in this study addition of 10–50% of slag in the place of Shirasu is considered. A mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate solution with different ratios were used as alkaline activators. Compressive strength, X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis and sulfuric acid immersion test were performed to study the behavior of the geopolymer under varied mix proportion and curing conditions. From the test results, it was observed that the initial and long term strength development of Slag-Shirasu geopolymer improved and acid resistance increased with the addition of slag.

Compressive strength of class F fly ash blended geopolymer- hybrid mortar

Day by day construction industry require large amounts of cement to satisfy development of buildings, facilities and infrastructures, that demand presented undesirable increase in CO2 emitted the environment as 1 ton of cement produce approximately 1 ton of CO2. Aiming to reduce usage of Portland cement new technology of binders was researched such as Geopolymer binders. General composition of geopolymer contain aluminosilicate source materials such as fly ash or fly ash combined with GGBFS, and alkaline activator such as a mixture of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium silicate solution. However, geopolymers suffer from some limitations such as the variation in chemical content, the calcium content, dosage of alkaline activator and Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio, additionally geopolymers has brittleness and low toughness which require additional materials to mitigate normally some sort of reinforcement fibres which can drive the cost very high. The objective of this research is to investigate the enhancement in compressive strength of geopolymer mortar by incorporating Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) with class F fly ash in blended geopolymer, also the addition of commercial grout to form blended geopolymer–hybrid mortar. GGBFS replaced fly ash by 10%,20% and 30% of total mass, and commercial grout then was added by 10%,20% and 30% to each blended mixture. All samples where cured in ambient temperature. It was found that incorporating GGBFS and commercial grout increase the compressive strength in early age of curing and slightly at 28 days. Furthermore, 10M concentration of NaOH yielded the highest strength with the blended geopolymer-hybrid mortar.

Properties of nanosilica-reinforced green architectural cement composites incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag with low activity

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of combination of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) with low pozzolanic activity index and nanosilica as a highly reactive pozzolan on different properties of cement mortar applicable for architectural purposes. The properties studied include mechanical performances (in terms of compressive and flexural strengths), durability (by electrical resistivity, water absorption, and chloride penetration tests), and microstructural characteristics (through thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction test, and scanning electron microscopy). The results revealed that the addition of nanosilica could compensate for mechanical strength and durability losses brought about through the utilization of GGBFS with low pozzolanic performance. Considering compressive and flexural strengths, the optimal percentage of nanosilica was 1%; however, the employment of 2% nanosilica performed more efficient concerning durability characteristics. Moreover, synergistic effect of the application of ternary cementitious blends of low pozzolanic activity GGBFS and nanosilica was noticed in the results of compression, electrical resistivity, and rapid chloride penetration tests.

The influence of mineral additive type and water/binder ratio on matrix phase rheology and multiple cracking potential of HTPP-ECC

Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) exhibit pseudo strain-hardening behavior by fine multiple cracking with controlled tight crack width mechanism. The optimization of interaction between fiber and matrix is the main design strategy of ECC. Mineral additives are preferable in the design of ECC due to technical and economic advantages. In this study, the influence of mineral additives on normal strength grade ECC (compressive strength range: 20–50 MPa) procured with a recently developed fiber known as high tenacity poly-propylene (HTPP) have been experimentally studied. Composites incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) and fly ash (FA) were prepared at three different Water/Binder (W/B) ratios (0.31, 0.34, 0.37). Matrix phase rheology of composites characterized. The tensile stress-strain relationship, crack width distribution, fiber bridging stress – crack opening relation, matrix fracture toughness and compressive strength values have been experimentally determined. The role of mineral additives on multiple cracking has been discussed. Furthermore, energy and strength based pseudo–strain hardening indices of composites have been calculated by using ECC micromechanical theory.