Performance of Low CO2 Cement-Based Engineered Cementitious Composites

This research investigates the incorporation of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3), super-sulfated cement (SSC), and calcium aluminate cement (CAC), as different chemical make-up cements with lower CO₂ emissions than OPC, in sustainable engineered cementitious composites (ECC) mixtures. Slump flow, compressive and flexural strengths, deflection capacity, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), rapid chloride permeability, and shrinkage behaviors of LC3-, SSC-, and CAC-based ECCs were assessed at different curing ages, while considering the addition of fly ash (FA) at various FA/cement ratios of 0, 0.8, 1.2, and 1.5. In addition, the self-healing ability of these green cements-based ECCs was tested by exploring their recovery after pre-cracking and further water curing. SEM-EDS analyses were also performed to characterize the recovery products related to each cement. The results confirmed the possibility of using LC3, SSC, and CAC in sustainable ECCs, with greater mechanical, durability, and self-healing performances compared to the control OPC-ECC.