Title:
Fracture of Concrete under Variable Amplitude
Fatigue Loading
Author(s):
Volker Slowik, Giovanni Angelo Plizzari, and Victor E. Saouma
Publication:
Materials Journal
Volume:
93
Issue:
3
Appears on pages(s):
272-283
Keywords:
concretes; crack propagation; dams; earthquake resistant struc-tures;
fatigue (materials); fracture properties.
DOI:
10.14359/9812
Date:
5/1/1996
Abstract:
The fracture response of concrete under low-cycle variable amplitude loading at frequencies up to 10 Hz was investigated. The applied loading history, selected to reflect earthquake loads on concrete dams, consisted of a basic sinusoidal oscillation interrupted by occasional spikes. Test results of specimens with different sizes and loading histories are reported. It was determined that the induced damage is both size and loading history dependent; further it was found that spikes in the loading history are likely to accelerate crack growth. On the basis of the experimental results, a fracture mechanics-based empirical law for crack propagation under variable amplitude cyclic loading is proposed.