Enhancing the interfacial bond performance of engineered cementitious composites and concrete

This study aims to investigate the influence of different surface treatments, including smooth interface, rough interface, anchor bolt connection, and epoxy bonding agent, on the shear resistance of Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC)-concrete interface through bi-surface shear testing. The experimental results show that the interfacial shear strength between ECC and concrete is significantly enhanced by the implementation of the three interface treatment methods, as opposed to the smooth interface. Among these methods, the anchor bolt connection exhibits the greatest improvement in interfacial bonding performance. Notably, cohesive failure is observed in the anchor bolt connection method, while the other three methods result in adhesive failure, with only the anchor bolt connection method displaying ductile failure behavior. Following a comprehensive review of relevant studies and the outcomes of this experiment, three distinct interface bonding mechanisms were identified and the forces contributing to the bond were analyzed. Results indicated that the interfacial bond strength is notably influenced by the surface roughness. These research findings substantiate the viability of utilizing the anchor bolt connection method, particularly in applications where ductility requirements in the repair layer are essential for structural integrity.