How project management practices change when dealing with ECC to address the sustainability issues both in dimensions of environment, social and economic aspects of the project?

By ‘Yash Patel’

Master of Engineering (Extension) Civil Major Student ID- 13826274

1. Introduction
2. Background of the study

The rapid growth of urbanization globally has resulted in mega-structural projects, all of which use concrete to make up the components of these structures[ CITATION Pri19 l 1033 ]. With the increased use of technology and clients making unique specifications to their projects, there has been a gradual need to use bendable concrete as the conventional concrete has limited capabilities in meeting these extreme architectural desires of clients[ CITATION Rek18 l 1033 ].

According to Rachel (2019), conventional concrete is highly brittle and rigid, with a bare strain capacity of 0.1%. This implies that it cannot be molded into desired shapes with smooth bends as desired by architects and clients in any given project. The lack of bendability in conventional concrete commonly causes failure as a result of load strains, necessitating the need for an elegant material with higher stresses, mouldability and other desirable properties like enhanced flexibility hence the adoption of bendable concrete, also called Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC)[CITATION Kis17 l 1033 ]. Look at the diagram below, showing a structure made of CEE, which is more flexible as compared to conventional concrete.

Figure 1. A structure made of bendable concrete

Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) have strain capacities of between 3% to 5% and are made with reinforced micro mechanically designed polymer fibers with the addition of High-Range Water Reducing Agents to increase workability[ CITATION Ash16 l 1033 ]. This type of concrete provides a more flexible strength as compared to conventional concrete resisting cracks hence suitable in seismic prone regions[ CITATION Nee18 l 1033 ].

Any material selected for construction purposes must meet the threshold of fundamental requirements in construction, especially the integrity of the structure, its performance, and sustainability issues[ CITATION Bri18 l 1033 ]. Notably, a risk to sustainability may form a basis for developing a project brief, which will make it easy to manage any given project. Since the use of ECC is a new concept that is widely being adopted globally, there is need to assess how buildings constructed using bendable concrete will create an impact to the environment, social and economic sustainability so as to develop mitigation strategies and provide a document to facilitate guidance of project managers during construction, refurbishment and even in the demolition of such structures[ CITATION fie16 l 1033 ]. The chart beneath is a schematic portrayal of sustainable risk management procedures in project management when dealing with ECC projects.

Figure 2. A sustainable risk management procedure in ECC Projects

1. Significance of the research

This examination plans to investigate and explore the efficiency of bendable concrete as compared to that of conventional concrete in the context of sustainable project management. The increasing usage of bendable concrete in the construction of projects has resulted in slight changes in project management, including scheduling and aspects of environmental and socio-economic perspectives of the plan[ CITATION Oma19 l 1033 ]. Thus, the sole purpose of this research proposal, therefore, is to investigate and compile findings on the use of bendable concrete and how it compares to conventional concrete, with a focus on project management of such projects.

Various investigations have been directed beforehand, highlighting the experimental studies of bendable concrete and its engineering properties. However, even in studies where comparisons have been made with the conventional concrete, most of these studies still do not give explicit knowledge on the aspects of project management when dealing with Engineered Cementitious Composites[ CITATION Gad15 l 1033 ]. This has constituted a knowledge gap that needs to be filled with this study, prompting research to explore the usability of ECC in comparison with conventional concrete while giving particular focus to the entire context of project management.

On its completion, this study will be of essential importance to project managers, coordinators and other stakeholders in the construction industry as it will provide key recommendations on how to shift schedules and conduct efficient management of projects where bendable concrete has been used for construction.

1. Research question and objectives

As already discussed above, the research question revolves around the adoption of bendable concrete and efficient project management practices in comparison to those of conventional concrete. Therefore, the research question can be framed as how project management practices change when dealing with ECC to address the sustainability issues both in dimensions of environment, social and economic aspects of the project. Addressing this question will be of significant importance in formulating effective project management practices to enhance efficiencies in projects utilizing bendable concrete, which might be slightly different from those management practices associated with the use of normal conventional concrete.

With the research question broken down into its constituent parts to be addressed, it is clear that the main objective of this research proposal is to come up with effective project management strategies in construction where ECC is being used. These practices will, therefore, be summarized and form the basis of managing construction projects by facility managers to ensure the sustainability of this new construction material.

In order to achieve the main objective of the study, the following specific objectives will have to be addressed independently:

• To review the already existing literature on the project management of construction projects using Engineered Cementitious Composites.
• To conduct experimental studies so as to determine the mechanical and chemical properties of Engineered Cementitious Composites.
• To develop strategies for sustainable management of ECC projects using the knowledge obtained in chemical and mechanical properties of the material, and how they may impact the environment and other social aspects within the construction industry.
• To compare the results obtained with the existing project management strategies for the use of conventional concrete to advise clients and construction managers on which plans to adopt for their construction projects.

2. Literature Review

Since time in history, concrete is the most common construction material used worldwide, with its usage increasing[ CITATION Ams18 l 1033 ]. Previous studies indicate that each ton of cement produced is capable of generating an equal amount of carbon dioxide, resulting in greenhouse emissions and global warming. This has raised concerns; hence there is a need to adopt a more environmentally friendly material in construction.

One such composite material is the Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) that has been designed to meet the shortfalls of the ordinary conventional concrete in terms of mechanical properties and environmental friendliness. The ECC is more safe, durable, cost-effective, and sustainable in the long run of the construction industry[ CITATION Vic12 l 1033 ]. ECC is ductile, achieving very high curvature at increasingly higher loads. It has hardening strain, making it more useful in structural applications.

ECC has unique properties as opposed to the standard concrete. It can bend like a metal since it is non-brittle and is up to 40% lighter. It is multiple times progressively impervious to splitting even when bent. The usage of ECC eliminates or reduces steel reinforcement. With this composite, there is reduced maintenance cost and reduction in harmful environmental impacts from conventional concrete. Similarly, there is a rapid rate of making precast elements or on-site construction.

Workability is an essential aspect of concrete that has a direct influence on the rate of placement and degree of compaction[ CITATION Ami14 l 1033 ]. In respect to this, workability can be measured in terms of slump test, where a slump less than 25mm indicates a thick concrete with poor workability while a slump of more than 125mm indicates a runny concrete, all which conform to IS 7320-1974. Some mix proportions for previous studies are shown in the tables below.

Table 1. Mix proportions

Table 2. Materials and mix proportion

Flexural strength of ECC is important as it determines the load that can be carried by the structure safely without failure. The cubes, therefore, are tested on the load frame of 20kN capacity as dictated by IS 9399:1679. During this test, the load is gradually applied to increase the stresses at the extreme fiber at the rate of 7kg/sq.cm/min to prevent shocking. The load is then measured at failure;

f_b = p * l/bd²

from previous studies conducted on bendable concrete, the following tables were obtained from experimental results.

Table 3. Slump test

Table 4. Compaction Factor Values

Figure 3. Comparison of strengths in ECC and Conventional concrete

3. Methodology

This section details how the research study will be conducted and the type of data to be obtained and how this will be achieved. As argued by [ CITATION Sae13 l 1033 ], a practical methodological approach in the research study ensures that the data collected is valid and reliable, informing the conclusions drawn from it. Similarly, data collection, its analysis, and interpretation of the results are key elements in research studies, necessitating a valid methodological approach to be adopted in such studies[ CITATION San191 l 1033 ].

This study, therefore, intends to use both qualitative and quantitative research techniques as a methodological approach to obtaining the required data. For the management practices, the research proposal aims to review the available literature on project management of bendable concrete projects while at the same time conducting laboratory tests to collect data on the effects of the ECC on the environment. This will ensure that the adopted management strategies are sustainable and are in line with the long-term objectives of the construction industry of guaranteeing the better performance of structures, ease in their management, and reduced negative effects on the environment and health of occupants.

3. Data collection

The information to be gathered for this exploration study incorporate the compressive quality of bendable cement and that of regular (control) substantial, quality advancement of these two kinds of solid, the board angles like task planning, the time expected to finish various periods of development utilizing these multiple sorts of concrete, natural and social effects of these different kinds of concrete, moral issues emerging from the utilization of bendable cement and the customer’s fulfillment relying upon the style and substantial completions.

In order to achieve this, laboratory experiments will be conducted to determine the compressive strengths of the concrete as well as the strength development of the bendable concrete. This will then be compared with that of conventional concrete. However, data on management practices of these projects will be collected by reviewing manuals for construction sites, design procedures, and literature on project management. Further, oral interviews may be conducted with the project managers and other key stakeholders in project management to give valuable data on strategies for managing such projects.

Experimental setups will be conducted in the laboratory after the preparation of a suitable concrete mix, as illustrated in the diagrams below.

Figure 4. Laboratory set up in casting ECC concrete cubes

Figure 5. Experimental set up for tensile strength of ECC

Figure 6. Microcracks in ECC slab

3. Data Analysis and Interpretation

Analysis of data will be conducted after the successful completion of collecting the required raw information. In analyzing the data, tools to be used include excel sheets and various British Standards for estimation of compressive strength of casted concrete. A comparison of the strengths will then be made and gradual strength development of the different types of concrete. Similarly, information obtained from the interviews and key construction stakeholders will be sorted in a manner that is simple to understand and represented in charts, graphs, and other visual representation tools, for instance, the percentage of stakeholders satisfied with the current management practices in ECC projects can be given on a pie-chart.

Interpretation of the obtained result will be made in a manner that conforms to the main objective of the study, incorporating sustainability issues and other management strategies. For instance, if it is to be found that the use of bendable concrete results into a substantive ecological footprint to the environment due to its chemical properties as investigated in the laboratory, the interpretation is that it is not sustainable in the long run as it causes environmental concerns, and therefore management practices in such a project should aim at minimizing these effects by ensuring that the environment is exposed to a lesser amount as possible of the material.

3. The validity of Potential Results

In most research studies, the researchers have an idea of how the final results are likely to be depending on the hypotheses already formed at the initial stages of the survey[ CITATION Ven16 l 1033 ]. This study also has experimental results that need to be validated by the end of the research study. The study anticipates that the management of projects in terms of time allocation to different activities will have to change when using bendable concrete. Similarly, the compressive strength of the ECC is slightly higher than the ordinary concrete; hence the data collected and analyzed will determine the validity of these assumptions. However, obtaining valid results require that appropriate and up to date information be obtained using correct methodology, reviewing current and reputable literature in doing so. It is worthwhile noting that these possible results highlighted in hypotheses formulation should not dictate the procedures used so as to obtain favorable results, but the correct procedure should be followed in collection and analysis of data since specific dynamics may change. Thus, a predetermined result may not be treated as valid even though it may conform to the anticipated outcome.

4. Project Management

4.1 Project Scope

For this research project, the work to be done is limited to determining the strength of bendable concrete, its environmental footprint when used in plans and management strategies for constructions of this type. Therefore, other properties of ECC and the design of structural members using bendable concrete is beyond the scope of this study.

In addition, the chemical properties and durability of this concrete will be looked at and compared with that of regular concrete. The range also includes reviewing the existing construction manuals regarding the use of ECC and intends to come up with effective management practices in terms of scheduling activities for construction purposes. With this scope, the study is able to adequately answer the research question posted earlier and fulfill all the study objectives in order to bridge the knowledge gap as outlined in the significance of the study.

4. Process and time

The process and time needed for this research study upon approval of the proposal have been summarized in the table below.

Table 5. Research activities and time needed

Activity	The time needed (weeks)
Literature review of already existing manuals, guidebooks, and construction management journals for the research study.	4 weeks
Conducting field study through interviews and visiting construction sites to collect data.	10 weeks
Sorting the obtained data for ease of analysis	2 weeks
Analysis of the collected data using relevant tools.	6 weeks
Drawing conclusions and recommendations	1 week
Compiling a comprehensive report.	4 weeks
Proofreading to ascertain the correct structure, revising errors and using correct structure.	1 week

4. Milestones and Resources

Throughout the research study, a brief will be written to highlight the activities already done. However, sufficient literature review has been conducted presently on the research topic; this information about the bendable concrete and project management practices has been obtained.

Resources needed for the project to go smoothly include a library, computer with MS Word and MS Excel, a letter from the institution showing the purpose of visit to construction sites that would be used as a pass for field visits and interviews, as well as convenient means of transport from one side to the other.

4. Uncertainties, Risk control, and communication management

Projects have an unforeseen future with uncertainties on dynamics that may play out in the course of conducting it[ CITATION Dap17 l 1033 ]. To turn away any unexpected vulnerabilities, the undertaking plan for this investigation has been defined to be increasingly adaptable in the time expected to finish any given movement.

Essentially, a fruitful task needs an all-around organized system for sitting back to improve compelling correspondence. Like this, bright and viable correspondence channels will be utilized during the examination to keep in contact with the teacher and conference with different partners. This lessens the peril of using obsolete or mistaken information that may have been avoided by fitting correspondence.

When dealing with bendable concrete, there is a need to control future uncertainty on the impact of this material on the environment[ CITATION ANI16 l 1033 ]. Generally, concrete structures contribute to a significant amount of carbon footprint to the environment[ CITATION Sra15 l 1033 ]. There is, in this manner, a need to evaluate the implications of this project as it will negatively impact the environment, attracting ethical questions in conducting a research study.

5. Progress statement

So far, the proposal for the research study has been developed awaiting approval. The relevant literature has also been reviewed on the use of bendable concrete. A progress report will be updated as the research continues, especially after the collection of data, and other phrases like analysis will be gradually included in the progress statement of the research study.

However, the current status of the undertaking is well inside the arranged calendar since, from table 1, the writing survey is apportioned a month. Yet, it has been done even before the endorsement of the proposition. This lifts the certainty as the venture has a head beginning of about a month effectively, a valuable time that can be designated to attempt different exercises. Given that all goes as arranged, the task will be finished before the planned time; subsequently, entries will be made before the cutoff time.

6. Conclusion

Considering the difficulties looked by the use of conventional concrete in the construction industry, there is a need to adopt the use of new material. Bendable concrete has been suggested since it addresses these challenges by providing a more flexible material to meet the architectural demands in terms of shape, flexibility, strength, and durability. This proposal, therefore, intends to conduct a comparative study of the bendable concrete and regular concrete to decide which is most suitable in construction. Further, management strategies have been proposed where schedules of the project need to be changed for effective project management of such projects.

7.0 References

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Bright, B., 2018. Experimental Investigation on Bendable Concrete Using Natural and Artificial Fibres. International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET), 5(4), pp. 3413-3417.

Daphal, N. S., 2017. EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF BENDABLE CONCRETE BY USING ADMIXTURE AND FIBER. International Journal For Technological Research In Engineering, 4(9), pp. 1743-1746.

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Kumar, S., 2015. Experimental Studies on Bendability of concrete. pp. 208-211.

Li, V. C., 2012. Improved fiber distribution and mechanical properties of engineered cementitious composites by adjusting the mixing sequence. Journal of Cement & Concrete Composites, Volume 34, pp. 342-348.

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Rachel, P., 2019. Performance Study of Eco-Friendly Bendable Concrete with Partial Replacement of Polypropylene and Fly Ash. Journal of Green Engineering (JGE), 9(2), pp. 1-10.

Rai, A., 2014. Applications and properties of fiber-reinforced concrete. International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications, 4(5), pp. 123-131.

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Sandeep, Y., 2019. Experimental Investigation on Bendable Concrete. International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET), 6(12), pp. 1308-1317.

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Zhou, Q., 2015. “Influence of curing condition and pre cracking time on the self-healing behavior of Engineered Cementitious Composites. Journal of Cement & Concrete Composites, Volume 32, p. 686–693.

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