Title: A New Method to Test Concrete Tensile and Shear Strength with Cylindrical Specimens

Author(s): Carnot L. Nogueira

Publication: Materials Journal

Volume: 115

Issue: 6

Appears on pages(s): 909-923

Keywords: concrete interface shear strength; helical tensile failure; helical tensile strength; Mode III (anti-plane) facture; shear strength; torsion

DOI: 10.14359/51706942

Date: 11/1/2018

Abstract:
A new method to test concrete tensile strength and anti-plane shear strength using torsional stresses is introduced. The torsion test apparatus can be used with any universal testing machine to test concrete or other materials (such as rocks). The apparatus used to apply torsional loads establishes a new method to evaluate concrete tensile strength activating helical tensile failure modes and determining the helical tensile strength (HTS). The method has several advantages when compared to other standard tests to measure concrete tensile strength: it requires no preparation of the cylindrical specimens, and the HTS can be calculated using a very simple formula. In addition, the new method can be used to measure anti-plane shear strength of concrete (Mode III fracture) and interfacial shear stresses between concrete layers. From a comparison of the HTS and anti-plane shear strength, it could be concluded that these values have the same magnitudes.