To　improve　the　performance　of　reinforced　concrete　(RC)　structural　members　subjected　to　blast,　especially　the　spalling　due　to　the　brittleness　of　concrete,　engineered　cementitious　composite　(ECC)　was　applied　in　monolithic　and　composite　slabs　and　their　responses　subjected　to　near-field　blast　were　experimentally　investigated　in　the　present　study.　First,　two　different　ECC　materials　were　prepared　and　tested　with　quasi-static　direct　tension　and　flexural　tests,　whose　results　showed　significantly　improved　tensile　ductility　and　strength　compared　to　normal　concrete.　Then　a　field　test　was　conducted　to　investigate　the　response　of　ECC　monolithic　and　composite　slabs　under　near　field　blast,　with　an　RC　slab　as　reference.　The　responses　of　these　slabs　were　compared　in　terms　of　response　mode,　residual　deformation,　crack　initiation　and　development,　spalling,　strain　time　history,　etc.　The　test　observations　suggested　that　in　addition　to　the　ductile　response　and　failure　of　ECC　subjected　to　quasi-static　direct　tension　and　flexural　tests,　ECC　still　exhibited　ductile　response　at　high　strain　rate　when　applied　in　monolithic　and　composite　slabs　under　near　field　blast.　Compared　to　the　perforation　and　spalling　of　RC　slab,　the　ECC　monolithic　or　composite　slabs　underwent　large　deformation,　until　collapse　failure　with　a　major　crack　in　the　mid-span　occurred.　Importantly,　throughout　the　whole　response　process,　even　the　ECC　monolithic　and　composite　slabs　collapse　with　a　major　crack　at　mid-span,　no　spalling　was　observed.　Furthermore,　no　delamination　occurred　in　the　interface　between　the　RC　and　ECC　layer　of　the　RC/ECC　slabs.　Both　the　ECC　monolithic　slab　and　RC/ECC　com-posite　slab　exhibited　favorable　performance　subjected　to　near-field　blast.　These　observations　implied　that　the　ECC　is　promising　in　the　potential　application　of　structural　protection　against　blast,　not　only　for　replacing　certain　key　components　in　the　newly　built　structures　but　also　for　retrofitting　existing　RC　structures.