• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제43권6호
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• pp.823-833
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• 2012

An experimental method was suggested for obtaining fracture toughness ($K_{Ic}$) and the tensile strength (${\sigma}_t$) of chopped strand glass fiber reinforced polymer concretes (PC). Semi-circular bend (SCB) specimens subjected to three-point bending were used for conducting the experiments on the PC material. While the edge cracked SCB specimen could be used to evaluate fracture toughness, the tensile strength was obtained from the un-cracked SCB specimen. The experiments showed the practical applicability of both cracked and un-cracked SCB specimens for using as suitable techniques for measuring $K_{Ic}$ and ${\sigma}_t$ in polymer concretes. In comparison with the conventional rectangular bend beam specimen, the suggested SCB samples need significantly less material due to its smaller size. Furthermore, the average values of ${\sigma}_t$ and $K_{Ic}$ of tested PC were approximately 3.5 to 4.5 times the corresponding values obtained for conventional concrete showing the improved strength properties of PC relative to the conventional concretes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제77권1호
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• pp.103-114
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• 2021

Ultra high strength concrete (UHSC) originally proposed by Richards and Cheyrezy (1995) composed of cement, silica fume, quartz sand, quartz powder, steel fibers, superplasticizer etc. Later, other ingredients such as fly ash, GGBS, metakaoline, copper slag, fine aggregate of different sizes have been added to original UHSC. In the present investigation, the combined effect of coarse aggregate (6mm - 10mm) and steel fibers (0.50%, 1.0% and 1.5%) has been studied on UHSC mixes to evaluate mechanical and fracture properties. Compressive strength, split tensile strength and modulus of elasticity were determined for the three UHSC mixes. Size dependent fracture energy was evaluated by using RILEM work of fracture and size independent fracture energy was evaluated by using (i) RILEM work of fracture with tail correction to load - deflection plot (ii) boundary effect method. The constitutive relationship between the residual stress carrying capacity (σ) and the corresponding crack opening (w) has been constructed in an inverse manner based on the concept of a non-linear hinge from the load-crack mouth opening plots of notched three-point bend beams. It was found that (i) the size independent fracture energy obtained by using above two approaches yielded similar value and (ii) tensile stress increases with the increase of % of fibers. These two fracture properties will be very much useful for the analysis of cracked concrete structural components.

• 한국콘크리트학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국콘크리트학회 1999년도 봄 학술발표회 논문집(I)
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• pp.135-140
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• 1999

The size effect of axial compressive strength of concrete in notched specimens was experimentally investigated. Based on the concept of the fracture mechanics and size effect law, theoretical studies for axial compressive failure of concrete were reviewed, and two failure modes of concrete specimen under compression were discussed. In this study, experiment of axial compressive failure, which is one of the two failure modes, was carried out by using double cantilever fracture specimens. By varying the slenderness of cantilevers and the eccentricity of applied loads with respect to the axis of each cantilever, the size effect of axial compressive strength of concrete was investigated, and predicted by Bazant's size effect law. The test results show that size effect appears conspicuously for all series of specimens. For the eccentricity of loads, the influence of tensile and compressive stress at the notch tip are significant and so that the size effect is varied. In other words, if the influence of tensile stress at the notch tip grows up, the size effect of concrete increases. And the fact that the fracture process zone must be sufficiently secured for more accurate experiment was affirmed.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.295-328
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• 2008

A previously published multiscale model for early-age cement-based materials [Pichler, et al.2007. "A multiscale micromechanics model for the autogenous-shrinkage deformation of early-age cement-based materials." Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 74, 34-58] is extended towards upscaling of viscoelastic properties. The obtained model links macroscopic behavior, i.e., creep compliance of concrete samples, to the composition of concrete at finer scales and the (supposedly) intrinsic material properties of distinct phases at these scales. Whereas finer-scale composition (and its history) is accessible through recently developed hydration models for the main clinker phases in ordinary Portland cement (OPC), viscous properties of the creep active constituent at finer scales, i.e., calcium-silicate-hydrates (CSH) are identified from macroscopic creep tests using the proposed multiscale model. The proposed multiscale model is assessed by different concrete creep tests reported in the open literature. Moreover, the model prediction is compared to a commonly used macroscopic creep model, the so-called B3 model.

• 한국콘크리트학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국콘크리트학회 1998년도 가을 학술발표대회 논문집(III)
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• pp.839-844
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to analyze the interface debonding failure on RC beams strengthened with carbon fiber sheet(CFS). The behavior of damaged RC beams strengthened with CFS is analytically investigated using both linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) approach and the finite element method. This study includes the investigation of the separation mode by interface fracture of the strengthening materials due to the interfacial shear and normal stresses.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제41권5호
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• pp.645-662
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• 2012

Deteriorative effects of steel corrosion on the structural response of reinforced concrete are simulated for varying degrees of corrosion. The simulation approach is based on a three-dimensional irregular lattice model of the bulk concrete, in which fracture is modeled using a crack band approach that conserves fracture energy. Frame elements and bond link elements represent the reinforcing steel and its interface with the concrete, respectively. Polylinear stress-slip properties of the link elements are determined, for several degrees of corrosion, through comparisons with direct pullout tests reported in the literature. The link properties are then used for the lattice modeling of reinforced concrete beams with similar degrees of corrosion of the main reinforcing steel. The model is successful in simulating several important effects of steel corrosion, including increased deflections, changes in flexural cracking behavior, and reduced yield load of the beam specimens.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.147-161
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• 2006

Recent developments in fractal theory suggest that fractal may provide a more realistic representation of characteristics of cementitious materials. In this paper, the roughness of fracture surfaces in cementitious material has been characterized by fractal theory. A systematic experimental investigation was carried out to examine the dependency of fracture parameters on the aggregate sizes as well as the loading rates. Three maximum aggregate sizes (4.76 mm, 12.7 mm, and 19.1 mm) and two loading rates (slow and fast loading rate) were used. A total of 25 compression tests and 25 tension tests were performed. All fracture parameters exhibited an increase, to varying degrees, when aggregates were added to the mortar matrix. The fracture surfaces of the specimens were digitized and analyzed. Results of the fractal analysis suggested that concrete fracture surfaces exhibit fractal characteristics, and the fractal geometry provide a useful tool for characterizing nonlinear fracture behavior of concrete. Fractal dimension D was monotonically increased as maximum aggregate sizes increase. A new fractal fracture model was developed which considers the size and shape of aggregate, and the crack paths in the constituent phases. Detailed analyses were given for four different types of fracture paths. The fractal fracture model can estimate fractal dimension for multiphase composites.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.215-226
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• 2012

This article employs Support Vector Machine (SVM) for determination of fracture parameters critical stress intensity factor ($K^s_{Ic}$) and the critical crack tip opening displacement ($CTOD_c$) of concrete. SVM that is firmly based on the theory of statistical learning theory, uses regression technique by introducing ${\varepsilon}$-insensitive loss function has been adopted. The results are compared with a widely used Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model. Equations have been also developed for prediction of $K^s_{Ic}$ and $CTOD_c$. A sensitivity analysis has been also performed to investigate the importance of the input parameters. The results of this study show that the developed SVM is a robust model for determination of $K^s_{Ic}$ and $CTOD_c$ of concrete.

• 한국콘크리트학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국콘크리트학회 1996년도 가을 학술발표회 논문집
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• pp.101-107
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• 1996

In this study, the wedge splitting test (WST) specimens with various strength levels were tested to investigate the fatigue crack growth behavior of concrete. Selected test variables were concrete compressive strength with 2 levels (28 MPa, 60 MPa, 100 MPa) and maximum fatigue loading with 2 levels (75%, 85%). Fatigue testing was preceded by fracture energy test and the crack growth was measured by means of the compliance calibration method, 60 WST specimens were cast for the fatigue test, and 6 companion cylinders ($\phi$100${\times}$ 200 mm) for each batch. In fatigue test, the frequency of loading cycle was 1 Hz, and the minimum fatigue loading level was 5~10 % of ultimate monotonic loading. On the basis of the experimental results, a fracture mechanics-based empirical relationships for fatigue crack growth rate (da/dN-$\Delta$KI relationships) were presented. In addition, the effect of initial notch depth on the fracture energy and the validity of compliance calibration technique for the WST were shown.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제24권6호
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• pp.527-539
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• 2019

In this paper, the fracture characteristics of concrete specimens with different notch depths under three-point flexural loads are studied by finite element and fracture mechanics methods. Firstly, the concrete beams (the size is 700×100×150 mm) with different notch depths (a=30 mm, 45 mm, 60 mm and 75 mm respectively) are tested to study the influence of notch depths on the mechanical properties of concrete. Subsequently, the concrete beams with notch depth of 60 mm are loaded at different loading rates to study the influence of loading rates on the fracture characteristics, and digital image correlation (DIC) is used to monitor the strain nephogram at different loading rates. The test results show that the flexural characteristics of the beams are influenced by notch depths, and the bearing capacity and ductility of the concrete decrease with the increase of notch depths. Moreover, the peak load of concrete beam gradually increases with the increase of loading rate. Then, the fracture energy of the beams is accurately calculated by tail-modeling method and the bilinear softening constitutive model of fracture behavior is determined by using the modified fracture energy. Finally, the bilinear softening constitutive function is embedded into the finite element (FE) model for numerical simulation. Through the comparison of the test results and finite element analysis, the bilinear softening model determined by the tail-modeling method can be used to predict the fracture behavior of concrete beams under different notch depths and loading rates.