Effect of Randomness of Interfacial Properties on Fracture Behavior of Concrete Under Uniaxial Tension

Interfacial transition zones(ITZs) between aggregates and mortar are the weakest parts in concrete. The random aggregate generation and packing algorithm was utilized to create a two-phase concrete model, and the zero-thickness cohesive elements with different normal distribution parameters were used to model the ITZs with random mechanical properties. A number of uniaxial tension-induced fracture simulations were carried out, and the effects of the random parameters on the fracture behavior of concrete were statistically analyzed. The results show that, different from the dissipated fracture energy, the peak load of concrete does not always obey a normal distribution, when the elastic stiffness, tensile strength, or fracture energy of ITZs is normally distributed. The tensile strength of the ITZs has a significant effect on the fracture behavior of concrete, and its large standard deviation leads to obvious diversity of the fracture path in both location and shape.     

Mechanical characterization of sisal reinforced cement mortar

This work aims at evaluating the mechanical behavior of sisal fiber reinforced cement mortar. The composite material was produced from a mixture of sand, cement, and water. Sisal fibers were added to the mixture in different lengths. Mechanical characterization of both the composite and the plain mortar was carried out using three point bend, compression, and impact tests. Specimens containing notches of different root radii were loaded in three point bending in an effort to determine the effect of the fibers on the fracture toughness of the material. The results obtained indicate that, while fiber reinforcement leads to a decrease in compressive strength, J-integral calculations at maximum load for the different notch root radii have indicated, particularly for the case of long fibers, a significant superiority of the reinforced material in comparison with the plain cement mortar, in consistence with the impact test data.     

Fracture process zone analysis of concrete using moiré interferometry

The fracture process zone (FPZ) ahead of a crack tip in concrete and mortar beams subjected to threepoint bending was studied using moiré interferometry. A large FPZ can occur in concrete before the external load reaches its maximum value. Comparing the experimental results between concrete and mortar suggests that the aggregate contributes to the formation of the large FPZ in concrete. The formation of this large FPZ makes concrete less brittle than mortar. The effect of the FPZ on the fracture property, such as stress intensity factor, is investigated by combining moiré interferometry measured displacements with the smoothing FEM method. The study shows that a large FPZ significantly affects the value of the stress intensity factor.     

High-rate deformation and fracture of fiber reinforced concrete

This paper presents the results of dynamic compression and splitting-tensile tests of cardiff fiber reinforced concrete (CARDIFRC) composite using the Kolsky technique and its modification. The strength and deformation characteristics of fiber-reinforced concrete were determined experimentally at high strain rates. The mechanical characteristics were found to depend on the strain rate and stress rate. A uniform interpretation of the rate effects of fracture of the tested fiber-reinforced concrete is given on the basis of a structural-temporal approach. It is shown that the time dependences of both the compressive and tensile strengths of fiber reinforced concrete are well calculated using the incubation time criterion.     

钢筋锈胀引发混凝土保护层开裂破坏的细观数值研究

钢筋锈蚀膨胀引起保护层混凝土开裂是影响钢筋混凝土结构耐久性和服役寿命的重要因素。考虑到混凝土细观结构组成对保护层破坏模式的影响,从细观角度出发,将混凝土看作由骨料、砂浆基质及两者间界面过渡区组成的三相复合材料,建立了描述钢筋锈胀力学行为的混凝土随机骨料模型。采用塑性损伤本构关系模型来表征砂浆基质和过渡区界面的力学行为,假定钢筋均匀锈蚀,对钢筋锈胀引起的混凝土保护层开裂破坏过程进行了细观数值研究。对比了宏观均匀模型与细观非均质模型下获得的保护层破坏模式,探讨了径厚比(c/d)、钢筋位置(中部和角区)及混凝土拉伸强度对保护层破坏模式及保护层胀裂时钢筋锈蚀水平的影响,得到了一些有益结论。     

Fracture analysis of concrete using singular fractal functions with lattice beam network and confirmation with acoustic emission study

In the present study singular fractal functions (SFF) were used to generate stress-strain plots for quasi-brittle material like concrete and cement mortar and subsequently stress-strain plot of cement mortar obtained using SFF was used for modeling fracture process in concrete. The fracture surface of concrete is rough and irregular. The fracture surface of concrete is affected by the concrete’s microstructure that is influenced by water cement ratio, grade of cement and type of aggregate [1], [2], [3] and [4]. Also the macrostructural properties such as the size and shape of the specimen, the initial notch length and the rate of loading contribute to the shape of the fracture surface of concrete. It is known that concrete is a heterogeneous and quasi-brittle material containing micro-defects and its mechanical properties strongly relate to the presence of micro-pores and micro-cracks in concrete [1], [2], [3] and [4]. The damage in concrete is believed to be mainly due to initiation and development of micro-defects with irregularity and fractal characteristics. However, repeated observations at various magnifications also reveal a variety of additional structures that fall between the ‘micro’ and the ‘macro’ and have not yet been described satisfactorily in a systematic manner [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [15], [16] and [17]. The concept of singular fractal functions by Mosolov was used to generate stress-strain plot of cement concrete, cement mortar and subsequently the stress-strain plot of cement mortar was used in two-dimensional lattice model [28]. A two-dimensional lattice model was used to study concrete fracture by considering softening of matrix (cement mortar). The results obtained from simulations with lattice model show softening behavior of concrete and fairly agrees with the experimental results. The number of fractured elements are compared with the acoustic emission (AE) hits. The trend in the cumulative fractured beam elements in the lattice fracture simulation reasonably reflected the trend in the recorded AE measurements. In other words, the pattern in which AE hits were distributed around the notch has the same trend as that of the fractured elements around the notch which is in support of lattice model.     

受拉钢筋混凝土构件破坏过程的数值模拟

采用三维材料破坏过程分析MFPA3D系统,对钢筋混凝土构件轴心受拉条件下的受力、变形与内部裂纹萌生、扩展及最终破坏全过程进行了数值试验研究。数值模型中引入统计分布函数反映了混凝土的非均匀性影响,并采用具有残余强度的弹性损伤本构模型及其破坏单元材料性质退化方法,利用位移加载方式对钢筋混凝土构件实施拉伸加载。通过对钢筋、素混凝土方形体以及钢筋混凝土方形柱体构件在拉伸作用下破坏过程的数值试验,分析了钢筋与混凝土两种材料之间的相互作用、约束机理和破坏机理。数值试验成果对于深入了解钢筋和混凝土的联合受力规律和钢筋在开裂前后对整体钢筋混凝土结构的作用机制有参考价值。     

Heterogeneous Fracture Simulation of Three-point Bending Plain-concrete Beam with Double Notches

Plain concrete is regarded as a two-phase material comprising randomly distributed aggregates and mortar matrix. A series of three-point bending concrete beams with symmetric or asymmetric double notches are modeled using the modified random aggregate generation and packing algorithm. The cohesive zone model is used as the fracture criterion and the cohesive elements are inserted into both the mortar matrix and the aggregate-mortar interfaces as potential micro-cracking zones. The dead and alive crack phenomena are studied experimentally and numerically; and the influences of notch location, aggregate distribution and gradation on fracture are numerically evaluated. Some important conclusions are given.     

Cohesive fracture simulation and failure modes of FRP–concrete bonded interfaces

A work-of-fracture method using three-point bend beam (3PBB) specimen, commonly employed to determine the fracture energy of concrete, is adapted to evaluate the mode-I cohesive fracture of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) composite–concrete adhesively bonded interfaces. In this study, a bilinear damage cohesive zone model (CZM) is used to simulate cohesive fracture of FRP–concrete bonded interfaces. The interface cohesive process damage model is proposed to simulate the adhesive–concrete interface debonding; while a tensile plastic damage model is used to account for the cohesive cracking of concrete near the bond line. The influences of the important interface parameters, such as the interface cohesive strength, concrete tensile strength, critical interface energy, and concrete fracture energy, on the interface failure modes and load-carrying capacity are discussed in detail through a numerical finite element parametric study. The results of numerical simulations indicate that there is a transition of the failure modes controlling the interface fracture process. Three failure modes in the mode-I fracture of FRP–concrete interface bond are identified: (1) complete adhesive–concrete interface debonding (a weak bond), (2) complete concrete cohesive cracking near the bond line (a strong bond), and (3) a combined failure of interface debonding and concrete cohesive cracking. With the change of interface parameters, the transition of failure modes from interface debonding to concrete cohesive cracking is captured, and such a transition cannot be revealed by using a conventional fracture mechanics-based approach, in which only an energy criterion for fracture is employed. The proposed cohesive damage models for the interface and concrete combined with the numerical finite element simulation can be used to analyze the interface fracture process, predict the load-carrying capacity and ductility, and optimize the interface design, and they can further shed new light on the interface failure modes and transition mechanism which emulate the practical application.     

Experimental study and analysis of RC beams strengthened with CFRP laminates under sustaining load

Six reinforced concrete beams strengthened in flexure using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates subjected to different sustaining loads were tested. The main goal of the test is to examine the effects of initial load and load history on the ultimate strength of strengthened reinforced concrete beams by externally bonded CFRP laminates. The main experimental parameters include different levels of sustaining load at the time of strengthening and load history. To explain the experimental results in quantitative terms, a theoretical model for flexural behavior of the strengthened reinforced concrete beam is also developed. Test results in the current study show that sustaining load levels at the time of strengthening have important influence on the ultimate strength of strengthened reinforced concrete beams. If the initial load is basically same, the ultimate strength of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with CFRP laminates is almost same regardless of load history at the time of strengthening.     

受拉钢筋混凝土构件破坏过程中的等间距裂缝形成机理

采用三维真实材料破坏过程分析RFPA3D(Three-Dimension Realistic Failure Process Anal-ysis)系统,先对受拉钢筋混凝土构件在轴向拉伸作用下的破坏过程进行了数值试验研究,并与相应的实验结果进行了比较,数值试验得到的结果都与实验吻合的较好.并在此验证基础上利用RFPA系统着重分析了混凝土及钢筋在拉伸条件下的破坏过程中的应力分布情况过程及破坏机理.数值试验结果表明,受拉钢筋混凝土结构破坏过程中存在“等间距裂缝现象“,并通过破坏分析再现了裂缝形成、加密直至饱和的演化过程.本文还用三维程序,通过多个不同混凝土厚度钢筋混凝土构件的数值试验,研究了混凝土厚度对裂缝数及裂缝间距的影响,进一步发现饱和裂缝间距与混凝土厚度之间存在正比关系.随混凝土保护层厚度的增加而增大,裂缝数量随混凝土保护层厚度的增加而减少.     

碳纤维混凝土受弯断面的数字重构与断裂能计算

断裂能是定量表征混凝土断裂韧性的重要指标,但其实验结果显著依赖于混凝土试件断面面积评价方法的有效性和准确性。因测定困难,通常情况下只能由截面面积代替,造成断裂能计算结果存在较大误差。本文以碳纤维混凝土为研究对象,采用数字处理技术对混凝土断面形貌进行量化分析、重构,结合分形计算方法得到混凝土的真实断面面积,并将其用于碳纤维混凝土的断裂能计算,分析讨论了纤维掺量和长度对混凝土断裂能的影响规律。实验结果表明:碳纤维的引入显著提高了混凝土断面的粗糙度,表现为断裂面分形维度的明显提高,实际断面面积随之增大,以此为依据计算出的混凝土断裂能及其增益比随碳纤维掺量和长度的变化规律与韧度系数测试数据(按ASTM C1018)的一致性良好。     

冻融循环作用下再生混凝土砖砌体通缝受剪试验研究

本文报导了对冻融循环作用下96个再生混凝土砖砌体抗剪试件进行的沿通缝抗剪试验。研究涉及冻融循环对再生混凝土砖砌体抗剪力学性能的影响,对比分析不同胶结材料试件的破坏形态及其抗剪强度,揭示冻融损伤对再生混凝土砖砌体抗剪强度的影响规律,并从微观角度探讨砂浆孔隙变化对砖砌体抗剪承载力的影响,建立再生混凝土砖砌体抗剪强度冻融损伤衰减模型。结果表明:砖砌体抗剪强度受冻融环境影响非常明显,其抗剪强度随冻融循环次数的增加而降低,降低的速度呈现出先慢后快的趋势;粉煤灰的加入有助于改善冻融环境下砖砌体的抗剪能力;对于石灰砂浆抗剪试件,初期的抗剪能力及冻融后的抗剪能力均下降;建立了考虑冻融损伤影响的砖砌体抗剪强度衰减模型,试验数据与计算结果吻合较好。     

粗骨料粒径对混凝土动态压缩行为的影响研究

粗骨料作为混凝土材料组成最主要的部分,对混凝土力学性能和破坏模式有着很重要的影响。为了研究粗骨料平均粒径对混凝土动态力学性能的影响规律,针对不同平均粗骨料平均粒径（6、12、24 mm）的混凝土和砂浆材料进行了一系列SHPB试验,得到了不同应变率下各试件的应力-应变曲线,并对每种材料的动态增长因子（dynamic increase factor,DIF）与应变率的对数进行了线性拟合。结果表明:砂浆和混凝土材料的抗压强度具有明显的应变率效应,其动态抗压强度随着应变率的增加而逐渐增大,应力-应变曲线呈现相似的变化趋势;在相同的动态应变率条件下,平均粗骨料粒径为12 mm的混凝土的动态抗压强度最大,这与准静态条件下砂浆抗压强度最大截然不同;不同粗骨料粒径混凝土材料的应变率强化系数均大于砂浆材料,且随着粗骨料无量纲尺寸的增大,混凝土材料的应变率强化因子呈现先增大后减小的趋势。     

Use of Column and Filter Paper Methods to Obtain Chloride Transportation Parameters on Mortar Samples

Many of the causes of the occurrence of pathologies in reinforced concrete structures are linked to the transport of different substances through the pores and fissures of the mortar cover layer and the concrete itself. This transport is influenced by environmental factors and the properties of the porous media. This paper deals with the application of geotechnical techniques to obtain chloride transportation parameters in mortar samples. The filter paper technique was used in order to obtain the water retention curves, and column tests were performed to obtain parameters such as retard (attenuation) factor, diffusion and mechanical dispersion coefficients and permeability. These techniques proved to be useful for determining the parameters needed for modeling the transport of chloride through the concrete cover layer. Furthermore, these techniques enable the different phenomena involved (matric suction, attenuation and hydrodynamic dispersion) to be treated separately, which is useful for modeling purposes.     

The fragmentation of cementitious composites in a jaw breaker

The paper reports about the fragmentation of cementitious composites in a laboratory jaw breaker. Two types of cement paste and six different concrete materials were investigated. Specific fragmentation energy and size distributions of the generated fragments were estimated. A microscopic inspection of the debris was also performed. Specific energy has values between 5 and 10 J/g. It is highest for a concrete with high porosity and lowest for a mortar. It is also found that the specific fragmentation energy depends on the amount of coarse aggregates in the material. Based on these findings, the specific fragmentation energy is linked to a brittleness parameter of the concrete materials derived from non-linear fracture mechanics. A detailed SEM-study showed features of non-linear fracture, namely crack branching, aggregate bridging, and pore–crack interaction. It was further found that a Rosin–Rammler–Sperling distribution best describes the size distribution of the generated fragments, except the mortar. An approximate estimation of the strain rate during the fragmentation was performed, and a value of s⁻¹ was calculated for concrete.     

FRP-混凝土界面粘结行为的参数影响研究

FRP-混凝土界面的粘结性能对FRP加固混凝土结构力学行为和破坏模式有着重要影响。本文对表征FRP-混凝土界面粘结性能的三个重要参数(界面初始刚度、最大剪应力、界面破坏能)开展研究,通过13个单剪试件的试验考察了混凝土强度、胶层厚度和粘结长度等因素对界面粘结行为的影响,根据试验结果拟合了界面破坏能、最大剪切应力与胶层剪切刚度、混凝土强度之间的函数关系。在试验研究基础上,构建了外贴FRP-混凝土界面粘结的有限元模型。通过有限元分析考察了界面破坏能等三个参数不变的前提下,不同的局部粘结滑移本构关系对界面粘结行为的影响;进而研究了其中一个参数变化时引起的界面粘结性能改变。研究结果表明:界面粘结承载力随着胶层厚度增加而逐渐提高;胶层厚度与界面破坏能成正比,与峰值剪应力成反比;当界面破坏能等三个参数保持不变时,局部粘结滑移本构关系对FRP-混凝土界面粘结性能的影响较小;三个参数中的一个增大时将延缓界面破坏的过程。     

Microcracking and Fracture Process in Cement Mortar and Concrete: A Comparative Study Using Acoustic Emission Technique

This article reports the acoustic emission (AE) study of precursory micro-cracking activity and fracture behaviour of quasi-brittle materials such as concrete and cement mortar. In the present study, notched three-point bend specimens (TPB) were tested under crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) control at a rate of 0.0004 mm/sec and the accompanying AE were recorded using a 8 channel AE monitoring system. The various AE statistical parameters including AE event rate $ \left( {\frac{dn }{dt }} \right) $ , AE energy release rate $ \left( {\frac{dE }{dt }} \right) $ , amplitude distribution for computing the AE based b-value, cumulative energy (ΣE) and ring down count (RDC) were used for the analysis. The results show that the micro-cracks initiated and grew at an early stage in mortar in the pre peak regime. While in the case of concrete, the micro-crack growth occurred during the peak load regime. However, both concrete and mortar showed three distinct stages of micro-cracking activity, namely initiation, stable growth and nucleation prior to the final failure. The AE statistical behavior of each individual stage is dependent on the number and size distribution of micro-cracks. The results obtained in the laboratory are useful to understand the various stages of micro-cracking activity during the fracture process in quasi-brittle materials such as concrete & mortar and extend them for field applications.     

有限厚块石砌体钢筋混凝土结构板抗贯穿性能的实验研究

用花岗岩和混凝土制备出了花岗岩板、钢丝网混凝土板、花岗岩与钢丝网混凝土组合板、花岗岩块石砌体钢筋混凝土结构板4种类型的有限厚靶板。采用口径为30 mm的火炮作为发射装置,利用形状相同、材料强度不同的2种弹体对上述靶板进行了侵彻贯穿实验,比较了各类靶板抗侵彻贯穿破坏现象。结果表明,设计良好的块石砌体钢筋混凝土结构板具有优良的抗贯穿性能,且其抗贯穿性能与块石粒径、块石强度、块石砌筑方式、粘结强度和钢筋混凝土结构形式密切相关。     

钢筋混凝土结构破坏过程的近场动力学模拟

采用近场动力学(Peridynamics,PD)方法对钢筋混凝土结构破坏过程进行模拟,在"键"型近场动力学模型的基础上,考虑物质点对间的转动以突破泊松比的限制,采用能够描述混凝土材料的拉压异性和断裂特征的损伤模型,引入动态松弛、分级加载、平衡收敛准则和冲击接触等算法,建立了能准确描述钢筋混凝土结构破坏的近场动力学模型....