Dynamic response of ultra-high performance engineered cementitious composites (UHP-ECC) under low-velocity impact: Effect of waste rubber incorporation and low temperatures

This study aims to explore the dynamic response of ultra-high performance engineered cementitious composites (UHP-ECC) incorporating waste crumb rubber (CR) at various temperatures, focusing on its potential to enhance the resilience and sustainability of civil infrastructures against low-velocity impacts. To date, the impact behaviour of UHP-ECC under low temperatures has rarely been explored. Firstly, natural river sand and waste tyre CR was utilized to prepare the UHP-ECC. Then, a series of mechanical tests, including compression test, flexural test and uniaxial tensile test were carried out to investigate the static mechanical properties of rubberised UHP-ECCs. In addition, the effects of different waste CR incorporations (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) and various temperatures (25 °C, −5 °C, −30 °C, −50 °C, −100 °C and −196 °C) were comprehensively investigated by low-velocity impact tests with constant impact energy. Lastly, the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) model was introduced to evaluate the overall performance of UHP-ECC. It was found that the use of river sand and CR significantly enhanced the tensile ductility and impact toughness of UHP-ECC. Impact energy primarily dissipates through damage such as matrix crack initiation, propagation, and fibre pull-out/rupture within the specimen. Adding CR notably decreased stress fluctuations during impact at room temperature, facilitating steady state energy absorption. Moreover, the time to reach peak impact force decreased with decreasing temperature across all UHP-ECC groups. At room temperature during impact process, fibre failure mode is dominated by pull-out failure, while lower temperatures lead to increased fibre rupture at the cracking surface. In low-temperature conditions, the impact response of rubberised UHP-ECC necessitates a comprehensive consideration of the synergistic effects, including material contraction, fibre bridging capacity, rubber phase transition, and water freezing.