Mechanical performance and crack-control behavior of PVA fiber-reinforced engineered cementitious composites: a review

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber-reinforced engineered cementitious composite (ECC) is a strain-hardening cementitious material developed to overcome the brittle tensile behavior and crack localization typical of conventional concrete (CC). This review presents the material design, fiber-matrix interaction, mechanical strength, crack-control behavior, durability and structural relevance of PVA-based ECC. Based on the reviewed studies, PVA-ECC achieved compressive strength (CS) in the range of 35–59.86 MPa and tensile strength of 2–5.17 MPa depending on fly ash content, matrix composition, aggregate type and curing age. Its key performance feature is the formation of multiple fine cracks over a single confined crack with widths controlled below 60–100 µm. This controlled cracking behavior improves serviceability, limits damage progression and supports the use of PVA-ECC in durable and ductile structural applications.