Mechanical and Electrical Characterization of Self-sensing Carbon Black ECC

In this paper, the development of a new variation of Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) that aims to combine tensile ductility with self-sensing ability is described. ECC is a new type of high-performance fiber reinforced cementitious composite that exhibits strain-hardening under applied tensile load while resisting fracture localization. The self-sensing ability is achieved by incorporating a small dosage of carbon black (CB) into the ECC system (hereafter known as CB-ECC) to enhance its piezoresistive behavior while maintaining its tensile strain-hardening behavior. The tensile stress-strain response of CB-ECC is studied with an emphasis on its tensile stress and strain capacity, as well as its cracking pattern. In addition, the piezoresistive behavior of CB-ECC under uniaxial tension is investigated. Specifically, the effect of carbon black content on the electrical properties of ECC including the sensitivity of changes in its bulk conductivity under applied tensile strain are explored in detail.