• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2000

This study investigates a new method of using a concrete disk to calculate stress intensity factor (SIF) for mixed mode cases. The results indicate that the disk method is more accurate than three point bending test (TPB) in obtaining correct SIF values for mixed mode fracture propagation. Stress intensity factors $K_{I}$ and $K_{II}$ are calculated using a center notched disk subjected to splitting load. The notch angle is calculated by finite element (FEM). Fracture toughness $K_\textsc{k}$ of the concrete is obtained from the load intensities at the initiation of crack propagation. According to the finite element analysis(FEA) and disk test, the results show that mode I and mixed mode cracks propagate toward the directions of crack face and loading point, respectively. The results from FEA with maximum stress theory compare well with the experimental date. Unlike TPB method where an accurate fracture toughness value is difficult to obtain due to the irregular shape of load deflection curve and delayed final crack propagation (following slow stable cracking). fracture toughness value is easily measured in the disk test from the crack initial load. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that disk method is more advantageous than TPB method in analyzing combined mode fracture problems.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.337-354
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• 2016

To study the influence on fracture properties of reinforced concrete wedge splitting test specimens by the addition of reinforcement, and the restriction of steel bars on crack propagation, 7 groups reinforced concrete specimens of different reinforcement position and 1 group plain concrete specimens with the same size factors were designed and constructed for the tests. Based on the double-K fracture criterion and tests, fracture toughness calculation model which was suitable for reinforced concrete wedge splitting tensile specimens has been obtained. The results show that: the value of initial craking load Pini and unstable fracture load Pun decreases gradually with the distance of reinforcement away from specimens's top. Compared with plain concrete specimens, addition of steel bar can reduce the value of initial fracture toughness KIini, but significantly increase the value of the critical effective crack length ac and unstable fracture toughness KIun. For tensional concrete member, the effect of anti-cracking by reinforcement was mainly acted after cracking, the best function of preventing fracture initiation was when the steel bar was placed in the middle of the crack, and when the reinforcement was across the crack and located away from crack tip, it plays the best role in inhibiting the extension of crack.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.145-162
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• 2014

In this study, the fracture toughness $K_{IC}$ of high performance concrete (HPC) was determined by conducting three-point bending tests on eighty notched HPC beams of $500mm{\times}100mm{\times}100mm$ at high temperatures up to $450^{\circ}C$ (hot) and in cooled-down states (cold). When the concrete beams exposed to high temperatures for 16 hours, both thermal and hygric equilibriums were generally achieved. $K_{IC}$ for the hot concrete sustained a monotonic decrease tendency with the increasing temperature, with a sudden drop at $105^{\circ}C$. For the cold concrete, $K_{IC}$ sustained a two-stage decrease trend, dropping slowly with the heating temperature up to $150^{\circ}C$ and rapidly thereafter. The fracture energy-based fracture toughness $K_{IC}$' was found to follow similar decrease trends with the heating temperature. The weight loss, the fracture energy and the modulus of rapture were also evaluated.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.161-167
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• 2001

It is difficult to obtain accurate fracture toughness values using three point bending test(TPB) proposed by RILEM committees because the shape of load-deflection curve is irregular and final crack propagation occurs after some slow stable cracking. However, fracture toughness is easily obtained from crack initiation load in the disk test. In this paper, the fracture properties of high strength concrete disks with center-crack was investigated. For this purpose, the experimental results were compared with the results by finite element analysis(FEA). And the experimental fracture locus was compared with theoretical fracture locus. Also, the results of fracture properties for the degree of concrete strength are presented. It is concluded from this study that results from FEA with maximum stress theory were compared well with the results from experiment. And the degree of concrete strength was contributed to the crack initiation load and fracture toughness, but was not contributed to the failure angle. Also, The discrepancy of fracture locus between the maximum stress theory and the experiment for concrete is considered to depend upon a large energy requirement for inducing the mixed-mode and sliding mode fractures.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.733-738
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• 2000

It is difficult to obtain accurate fracture toughness values by RILEM committees proposed three point bend test(TPB) because the shape of load-deflection curve is irregular and final crack propagation occurs after some slow stable cracking. However, for disk test, fracture toughness is easily obtained from crack initial load. We examined the cracked high strength concrete disk and the experimental results were compared with the results by finite element analysis(FEA). Also we compared experimental fracture locus with theoretical fracture locus.

• Magazine of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.131-141
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• 1994

This experimental study was performed to lnvestigate the effects of the lergths dnd volume contents of glued hooked steel fiber for the fracture toughness and strength of c oncretc. The notched steel fiber reinforced concrete beams with different flber length(30, 60mm) and fiber volume content(O.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0%) were tested under 3-point benclmg, md 1 he flexural strengths, fracture energy and CMOD were obtained from the experimental data. The fracture energy v~ds used as d means to evaluate the fracture toughness ot concrete. The results showed that the frdcture toughness and 5trength of conuett. were generally increased ds the content of steel fiber was inc~edsed, arid the length of steel ilber had a great efiect on the flexural strength but little on the compressive itrength and fractule toughness. And also, considering the distributions of steel fiber, workablity and the maxinium size of coarse dqgregates, the optimum content of steel fiber seemed to be about 1.0 '0, and when lts length uias longer the results were somewhat tavorable.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1995.04a
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• pp.35-41
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• 1995

Fracture Mechanics does work for concrete, provided that a finite nonlinear zone at fracture front is being considered. The development of model for fracture process zone is most important to describe fracture phenomena in concrete. The fracture process zone is a region ahead of a traction-free crack, in which two major mechanisms, microcracking and bridging, play important rules. The toughness due to bridging is dominant compared to toughness induced by microcracking, so that the bridging is dominant mechanism governing the fracture process of concrete. In this paper the bridging zone, which is a part of extended macrocrack with stresses transmitted by aggregates in concrete, is model led by a Dugdale-Barenblatt type model with linear tension-softening curve. Two finite element techniques are shown for the model of fracture process zone in concrete.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.207-220
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• 2007

In this paper, hybrid fibers including high elastic modulus steel fiber and low elastic modulus synthetic macro-fiber (HPP) as two elements were used as reinforcement materials in concrete. The flexural toughness, flexural impact and fracture performance of the composites were investigated systematically. Flexural impact strength was analyzed with statistic analyses method; based on ASTM and JSCE method, an improved flexural toughness evaluating method suitable for concrete with synthetic macro-fiber was proposed herein. The experimental results showed that when the total fiber volume fractions ($V_f^a$) were kept as a constant ($V_f^a=1.5%$), compared with single type of steel or HPP fibers, hybrid fibers can significantly improve the toughness, flexural impact life and fracture properties of concrete. Relative residual strength RSI', impact ductile index ${\lambda}$ and fracture energy $G_F$ of concrete combined with hybrid fibers were respectively 66-80%, 5-12 and 121-137 N/m, which indicated that the synergistic effects (or combined effects) between steel fiber and synthetic macro-fiber were good.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

This paper describes laboratory tests carried out to evaluate the influence of class F fly ash (FA) on fracture toughness of plain concretes, specified at the third model fracture. Composites with the additives of: 0%, 20% and 30% siliceous FA were analysed. Fracture toughness tests were performed on axial torsional machine MTS 809 Axial/Torsional Test System, using the cylindrical specimens with dimensions of 150/300 mm, having an initial circumferential notch made in the half-height of cylinders. The studies examined effect of FA additive on the critical stress intensity factor $K_{IIIc}$. In order to determine the fracture toughness $K_{IIIc}$ a special device was manufactured.The analysis of the results revealed that a 20% FA additive causes increase in $K_{IIIc}$, while a 30% FA additive causes decrease in fracture toughness. Furthermore, it was observed that the results obtained during fracture toughness tests are convergent with the values of the compression strength tests.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.31-47
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• 2014

This research is focused on obtaining the fracture property of steel fiber reinforced concrete(SFRC) specimens at early ages of 1, 2, 3 and 7-day, respectively. For this purpose, three point bending tests of nine groups of SFRC beams with notch of 40mm depth and different steel fiber ratios were conducted. The experimental results of early age specimens were compared with the 28-day hardened SFRC specimens. The test results indicated that the steel fiber ratios and curing age significantly influenced the fracture properties of SFRC. A reasonable addition of steel fiber improved the fracture toughness of SFRC, while the fracture energy of SFRC developed with curing age. Moreover, a quadratic relationship between splitting strength and fracture toughness was established based on the experiment results. Additionally, afinite element (FE) method was used to investigate the fracture properties of SFRC.A comparison between the FE analysis and experiment results was also made. The numerical analysis fitted well with the test results, and further details on the failure behaviors of SFRC could be revealed by the suggested numerical simulation method.