Experimental Study on the Effect of Fibers on Engineered Cementitious Composite Short Square Columns

Recent earthquakes severely damaged short columns due to high lateral stiffness and low ductility. Some conditions, such as reductions in the heights of some columns compared to others on the same floor, deep beams, partially buried basements, and non-structural walls, cause short column effects. The prominent characteristics of engineered cementitious composites (ECCs) reinforced with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers – including their high tensile strength, micro and multiple cracks, energy dissipation, high ductility, and strain hardening – lead to improved seismic performance and economic efficiency in structure elements. In this study, 11 ECC columns with different fiber fractions (0–1.5%) and aspect ratios (3–7), as well as one conventional concrete column, were tested and evaluated. The results showed that increasing fiber friction and shear aspect ratio increased the length of the plastic hinge zone and ductility by at least 50% and 100%, respectively. Furthermore, the failure mode changed from brittle shear to ductile shear.