Title: Tensile Fatigue Strength of Plain Concrete

Author(s): Ralejs Tepfers

Publication: Journal Proceedings

Volume: 76

Issue: 8

Appears on pages(s): 919-934

Keywords: compressive strength; fatigue (materials); fatigue tests; plain concrete; splitting tensile strength; tensile strength; tensile stress; tension tests.

DOI: 10.14359/6969

Date: 8/1/1979

Abstract:
Tests have shown that, in principle, the susceptibility of concrete to fatigue when subjected to tensile stresses can be described by an equation which has been found to be valid for compressive stresses also. Use of this equation implies that Wohler curves must be drawn for constant values of R, the ratio between the upper limit and the lower limit of fluctuating splitting stress in tension. The fatigue tests were performed on cube splitting test specimens which do not have a definite tensile stress distribution. However, distribution of stress has no effect on the results as these are set out in nondimensional form by relating the fatigue stress to the static stress. Both stresses have the same distribution, and failure in both cases is therefore initiated by the maximum tensile stress in the distribution. Two concrete strengths have been tested, and the susceptibility to fatigue due to tensile stresses found to be independent of the level of strength. Tests have been made with values of R = 0.20, 0.30, and 0.40. Wohler diagrams have been constructed. The total number of tests was 83, divided into 6 series.