Title: Fracture and Internal Cracking of High-Strength Concrete Under Axial Compression

Author(s): L. R. Taerwe

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 156

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 25-44

Keywords: compression; crack propagation; fibers; fracture properties; high-strength concretes; polypropylene fibers; steels; strains; stress-strain diagram; tests; Materials Research

DOI: 10.14359/938

Date: 9/1/1995

Abstract:
The fracture process of high-strength concrete (HSC) submitted to uniaxial compression was analyzed by means of loading tests on cylinders under special closed loop control. Conclusions were drawn from axial and circumferential strain curves, cross sections of specimens impregnated with a fluorescent dye, and visual observations. The evolution of the internal crack extension was revealed and it was shown that under stable progressive fracture, predominantly aggregate bond failure and crack branching occur with the cracks passing around the coarse aggregates. the onset of damage is explained in terms of elementary force transfer concepts. The influence of maximum aggregate size and fiber addition are also discussed in this paper.