Mechanical Properties of Green Engineering Cementitious Composites with Tailing Sand as Aggregate

doi:10.16552/j.cnki.issn1001-1625.2025.0183

Abstract

Abstract: The high proportion of cement used in traditional engineering cementitious composites (ECC) leads to high costs and high carbon emissions, hindering the industrial application of ECC in transportation infrastructure. To overcome these limitations, while ensuring the mechanical properties of ECC, tailing sand was used as an alternative aggregate with increased fly ash content to develop an economical and green tailing sand ECC. Nine groups of ECC specimens with different mix proportion were designed for uniaxial compression and uniaxial tensile tests, employing varying aggregate types (tailing sand, a mixture of tailing sand and quartz sand, quartz sand) and ratio of fly ash and cement content (2.4, 3.4, and 4.4) to investigate their effects on mechanical properties, microstructure, and material sustainability. The tests revealed the failure process and deformation characteristics of ECC under loading stages. The results indicate that tailing sand, due to the angular morphology and micro-aggregate effect, exhibits excellent tensile strength and tensile ductility. The fly ash content has a dual effect on mechanical properties: as the ratio of fly ash and cement content increases, both the tensile and compressive strengths of ECC decrease, while the ultimate tensile strain significantly improves. By comparing sustainability indicators with traditional ECC, the results demonstrate that the novel ECC with tailing sand as aggregate can effectively reduce costs, energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions. This study validates the sustainability of utilizing industrial solid waste tailing sand as aggregate to produce green ECC, providing guidance for the application of environmentally friendly tailing sand ECC.

Key words: engineered cementitious composite, polyvinyl alcohol fiber, tailing sand, mechanical property, fly ash, CO₂ emission

CLC Number:

TU528.58

YU Jiexin, ZHU Yiting, ZHUANG Xu, CHEN Yushuang, ZHANG Guangda, XU Li. Mechanical Properties of Green Engineering Cementitious Composites with Tailing Sand as Aggregate[J]. BULLETIN OF THE CHINESE CERAMIC SOCIETY, 2025, 44(9): 3337-3346.

References

[1] XU L Y, HUANG B T, LAO J C, et al. Tensile over-saturated cracking of ultra-high-strength engineered cementitious composites (UHS-ECC) with artificial geopolymer aggregates[J]. Cement and Concrete Composites, 2023, 136: 104896.
[2] XU L Y, HUANG B T, LAO J C, et al. Tailoring strain-hardening behavior of high-strength engineered cementitious composites (ECC) using hybrid silica sand and artificial geopolymer aggregates[J]. Materials & Design, 2022, 220: 110876.
[3] LI S, CHAN T M, YOUNG B. Experimental investigation on axial compressive behavior of novel FRP-ECC-HSC composite short column[J]. Composite Structures, 2023, 303: 116285.
[4] AL BIAJAWI M I, EMBONG R, MUTHUSAMY K, et al. Recycled coal bottom ash as sustainable materials for cement replacement in cementitious Composites: a review[J]. Construction and Building Materials, 2022, 338: 127624.
[5] XIE C P, CAO M L, KHAN M, et al. Review on different testing methods and factors affecting fracture properties of fiber reinforced cementitious composites[J]. Construction and Building Materials, 2021, 273: 121766.
[6] CHEN Y X, YU J, LEUNG C K Y. Use of high strength strain-hardening cementitious composites for flexural repair of concrete structures with significant steel corrosion[J]. Construction and Building Materials, 2018, 167: 325-337.
[7] HUANG B T, YU J, WU J Q, et al. Seawater sea-sand engineered cementitious composites (SS-ECC) for marine and coastal applications[J]. Composites Communications, 2020, 20: 100353.
[8] HUANG B T, WENG K F, ZHU J X, et al. Engineered/strain-hardening cementitious composites (ECC/SHCC) with an ultra-high compressive strength over 210 MPa[J]. Composites Communications, 2021, 26: 100775.
[9] 李曈, 任庆新, 王庆贺. 经济环保型工程水泥基复合材料力学性能研究进展[J]. 硅酸盐通报, 2023, 42(10): 3421-3431.
LI T, REN Q X, WANG Q H. Research progress on mechanical properties of economic and environment-friendly engineered cementitious composites[J]. Bulletin of the Chinese Ceramic Society, 2023, 42(10): 3421-3431 (in Chinese).
[10] 黄伟, 薛葵, 张子龙, 等. 铁尾矿砂的研究与应用进展[J]. 硅酸盐通报, 2024, 43(10): 3655-3665.
HUANG W, XUE K, ZHANG Z L, et al. Research and application progress of iron tailings sand[J]. Bulletin of the Chinese Ceramic Society, 2024, 43(10): 3655-3665 (in Chinese).
[11] 王营, 顾晓薇, 张延年, 等. 铁尾矿砂水泥砂浆抗压强度及微观结构分析[J]. 金属矿山, 2022(1): 60-64.
WANG Y, GU X W, ZHANG Y N, et al. Analysis of compressive strength and microstructure of iron tailings sand cement mortar[J]. Metal Mine, 2022(1): 60-64 (in Chinese).
[12] SHETTIMA A U, HUSSIN M W, AHMAD Y, et al. Evaluation of iron ore tailings as replacement for fine aggregate in concrete[J]. Construction and Building Materials, 2016, 120: 72-79.
[13] YU J, YAO J, LIN X Y, et al. Tensile performance of sustainable strain-hardening cementitious composites with hybrid PVA and recycled PET fibers[J]. Cement and Concrete Research, 2018, 107: 110-123.
[14] WANG P Y, CHENG Z Q, JIA X X, et al. Strategies for reusing multiple recycled powders: evaluating the mechanical performance and sustainability of engineered cementitious composites (ECC)[J]. Construction and Building Materials, 2024, 447: 138131.
[15] DONG Z F, TAN H L, YU J T, et al. A feasibility study on engineered cementitious composites mixed with coarse aggregate[J]. Construction and Building Materials, 2022, 350: 128587.
[16] HUANG X Y, RANADE R, NI W, et al. Development of green engineered cementitious composites using iron ore tailings as aggregates[J]. Construction and Building Materials, 2013, 44: 757-764.
[17] WANG S, LI V C. Engineered cementitious composites with high-volume fly ash[J]. ACI Structural Journal, 2007, 104(3): 233-241.
[18] WANG F, YU J T, DING Y, et al. Performance enhancement of engineered cementitious composite through tailoring recycled iron sand[J]. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2024, 449: 141570.
[19] ZHOU W, ZHU H, HU W H, et al. Low-carbon, expansive engineered cementitious composites (ECC) in the context of 3D printing[J]. Cement and Concrete Composites, 2024, 148: 105473.