ACI Global Home Middle East Region Portal Western Europe Region Portal
Email Address is required Invalid Email Address
In today’s market, it is imperative to be knowledgeable and have an edge over the competition. ACI members have it…they are engaged, informed, and stay up to date by taking advantage of benefits that ACI membership provides them.
Read more about membership
Learn More
Become an ACI Member
Topics In Concrete
Home > Frequently Asked Questions
In This Section
Frequently Asked Questions
Submit a Question
Search other resources on the ACI website for answers to technical questions
Q. Is compressive strength the only strength factor of interest? A. No, in the early development of concrete, compressive strength was the primary interest and it became the natural basis for recording the results of experience and research. With respect to its application, other types of strength play a critical role in concrete applications. For example, concrete has relatively low tensile strength compared to its compressive strength. When subjected to bending, such as in beams or slabs, its tensile strength may be the limiting factor in design to minimize or restrain cracking. In pavements, flexural strength becomes a matter of considerable interest. Other types of strength of importance include shear strength, bond strength, fatigue strength, and impact strength. Depending on the design, one of those strengths or their associated strains could be the influential design limit. References: SP-1(02); ACI 214R-11; ASTM D790; ASTM C78; ASTM C1161; ASTM C293 Topics in Concrete: 318 Building Code; Concrete Fundamentals; Pavement; Testing of Concrete
Q. Is compressive strength the only strength factor of interest?
A. No, in the early development of concrete, compressive strength was the primary interest and it became the natural basis for recording the results of experience and research. With respect to its application, other types of strength play a critical role in concrete applications. For example, concrete has relatively low tensile strength compared to its compressive strength. When subjected to bending, such as in beams or slabs, its tensile strength may be the limiting factor in design to minimize or restrain cracking. In pavements, flexural strength becomes a matter of considerable interest. Other types of strength of importance include shear strength, bond strength, fatigue strength, and impact strength. Depending on the design, one of those strengths or their associated strains could be the influential design limit.
References: SP-1(02); ACI 214R-11; ASTM D790; ASTM C78; ASTM C1161; ASTM C293
Topics in Concrete: 318 Building Code; Concrete Fundamentals; Pavement; Testing of Concrete