Monitoring Postpeak Crack Propagation in Concrete in the Brazilian Tension Test
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34, Issue 6
Abstract
The Brazilian tension test is the most common tension test used for concrete, with the advantage of simple setup. However, cracking in the Brazilian test takes place abruptly, which does not allow monitoring of postpeak behavior and crack propagation. In this paper, a novel experimental testing technique that enables monitoring of postpeak cracking behavior using the Brazilian tension test is described. The technique uses additional spring supports in parallel to the test specimen to offload the test specimen incrementally. When the concrete specimen reaches its peak load, the spring supports will resist approximately 80% of the machine load. As the concrete specimen cracks, its stiffness drops, and the spring system increasingly carries more of the load. The load on the specimen is continuously reduced, which slows crack propagation. Comparison with the standard Brazilian tension test without springs shows that the proposed test does not affect the concrete behavior precracking or postcracking but slows down postpeak crack propagation and thus allows monitoring of postpeak concrete behavior in tension.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This research is funded by Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL) through the Center for Space and Earth Science and the New Mexico Consortium. LANL is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. The authors gratefully acknowledge this support. The authors extend thanks to Mr. Joaquin Martinez and Mr. Tyler Hagengruber for their help. Los Alamos National Laboratory, an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, is operated by Triad National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the US Department of Energy under contract 89233218CNA000001. By acceptance of this article, the publisher recognizes that the US Government retains a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to publish or reproduce the published form of this contribution, or to allow others to do so, for US Government purposes. Los Alamos National Laboratory requests that the publisher identify this article as work performed under the auspices of the US Department of Energy. Los Alamos National Laboratory strongly supports academic freedom and a researcher’s right to publish; as an institution, however, the Laboratory does not endorse the viewpoint of a publication or guarantee its technical correctness. This publication was approved by Los Alamos National Laboratory for unlimited release under LA-UR-20-21120.
References
Abshirini, M., N. Soltani, and P. Marashizadeh. 2016. “On the mode I fracture analysis of cracked Brazilian disc using a digital image correlation method.” Opt. Lasers Eng. 78 (Mar): 99–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optlaseng.2015.10.006.
Amirkhanian, A., D. Spring, J. Roesler, K. Park, and G. Paulino. 2011. “Disk-shaped compact tension test for plain concrete.” In Proc., Transportation and Development Institute Congress 2011: Integrated Transportation and Development for a Better Tomorrow. Reston, VA: ASCE. https://doi.org/10.1061/41167(398)66.
ASTM. 2011. Standard test method for splitting tensile strength of cylindrical concrete specimens. ASTM C496/C496M. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2016. Standard practice for making and concrete test specimens in the laboratory. ASTM C192/C192M. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2018. Standard test method for compressive strength of cylindrical concrete specimens. ASTM C39/C39M. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Bazant, Z. P., and J. Planas. 1998. Fracture and size effect in concrete and other quasibrittle materials. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Behnood, A., K. Verian, and M. Modiri. 2015. “Evaluation of the splitting tensile strength in plain and steel fiber-reinforced concrete based on the compressive strength.” Constr. Build. Mater. 98 (Nov): 519–529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2015.08.124.
Boulekbache, B., M. Hamrat, M. Chemrouk, and S. Amziane. 2014. “Failure mechanism of fibre reinforced concrete under splitting test using digital image correlation.” Mater. Struct. 48 (8): 2713–2726. https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-014-0348-x.
Carmona, S., and A. Aguado. 2012. “New model for the indirect determination of the tensile stress–strain curve of concrete by means of the Brazilian test.” Mater. Struct. 45 (10): 1473–1485. https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-012-9851-0.
Carmona, S., R. Gettu, and A. Aguado. 1998. “Study of the post-peak behavior of concrete in the splitting-tension test.” Fract. Mech. Concr. Struct. 1: 111–120.
Chen, X., J. Bu, and L. Xu. 2016. “Effect of strain rate on post-peak cyclic behavior of concrete in direct tension.” Constr. Build. Mater. 124 (Oct): 746–754. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2016.08.012.
Cifuentes, H., M. Lozano, T. Holušová, F. Medina, S. Seitl, and A. Fernandez-Canteli. 2017. “Modified disk-shaped compact tension test for measuring concrete fracture properties.” Int. J. Concr. Struct. Mater. 11 (2): 215–228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40069-017-0189-4.
García, V. J., C. O. Márquez, A. R. Zúñiga-Suárez, B. C. Zuñiga-Torres, and L. J. Villalta-Granda. 2017. “Brazilian test of concrete specimens subjected to different loading geometries: Review and new insights.” Int. J. Concr. Struct. Mater. 11 (2): 343–363. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40069-017-0194-7.
Goodman, R. D. 1989. Introduction to rock mechanics. 2nd ed. New York: Wiley.
Kim, J. J., and M. R. Taha. 2014. “Experimental and numerical evaluation of direct tension test for cylindrical concrete specimens.” Adv. Civ. Eng. 2014: 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/156926.
Kim, K., and Y. M. Lim. 2011. “Simulation of rate dependent fracture in concrete using an irregular lattice model.” Cem. Concr. Compos. 33 (9): 949–955. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2011.01.002.
Lenke, L. R., and W. H. Gerstle. 2001. “Tension test of stress versus crack opening displacement using cylindrical concrete specimens.” Spec. Publ. 201: 189–206.
Miguel, L. F. F., J. D. Riera, I. Iturrioz, and G. F. Aráoz. 2016. “Influence of the width of the loading strip in the Brazilian tensile test of concrete and other brittle materials.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 28 (11): 04016136. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0001628.
Min, F., Z. Yao, and T. Jiang. 2014. “Experimental and numerical study on tensile strength of concrete under different strain rates.” Sci. World J. 2014: 1–11.
Moazzami, M., M. R. Ayatollahi, H. R. Chamani, M. Guagliano, and L. Vergani. 2018. “Determination of higher order stress terms in cracked Brazilian disc specimen under mode I loading using digital image correlation technique.” Opt. Laser Technol. 107 (Nov): 344–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optlastec.2018.06.010.
Patel, S., and C. D. Martin. 2018. “Application of flattened Brazilian test to investigate rocks under confined extension.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 51 (12): 3719–3736. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-018-1559-1.
Peters, W. H., and W. F. Ranson. 1982. “Digital imaging techniques in experimental stress analysis.” Opt. Eng. 21 (3): 213427. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.7972925.
Rastiello, G., C. Boulay, S. Dal Pont, J. L. Tailhan, and P. Rossi. 2014. “Real-time water permeability evolution of a localized crack in concrete under loading.” Cem. Concr. Res. 56 (Feb): 20–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2013.09.010.
Rocco, C., G. Guinea, J. Planas, and M. Elices. 2001. “Review of the splitting-test standards from a fracture mechanics point of view.” Cem. Concr. Res. 31 (1): 73–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0008-8846(00)00425-7.
Rocco, C., G. V. Guinea, J. Planas, and M. Elices. 1999. “Mechanism of rupture in splitting test.” Mater. J. 96 (1): 52–60. https://doi.org/10.14359/428.
Rusch, C. 2018. “Correlating damage and air permeability of concrete and brittle rock using the Brazilian indirect tension test.” Master’s thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of New Mexico.
Swaddiwudhipong, S., H.-R. Lu, and T.-H. Wee. 2003. “Direct tension test and tensile strain capacity of concrete at early age.” Cem. Concr. Res. 33 (12): 2077–2084. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0008-8846(03)00231-X.
Tung, N. D., and N. V. Tue. 2015. “Post-peak behavior of concrete specimens undergoing deformation localization in uniaxial compression.” Constr. Build. Mater. 99 (Nov): 109–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2015.09.013.
US Bureau of Reclamation. 1992. Procedure for direct tensile strength, static modulus of elasticity and Poisson’s ratio of cylindrical concrete specimens in tension. Washington, DC: US Bureau of Reclamation.
Vemuganti, S. 2016. “Analysis of Brazilian split cylinder using the state based perdynamic lattice model.” Master’s thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of New Mexico.
Wang, K., D. C. Jansen, S. P. Shah, and A. F. Karr. 1997. “Permeability study of cracked concrete.” Cem. Concr. Res. 27 (3): 381–393. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0008-8846(97)00031-8.
Yazdanbakhsh, A., L. C. Bank, and Y. Tian. 2018. “Mechanical processing of GFRP waste into large-sized pieces for use in concrete.” Recycling 3 (1): 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling3010008.
Yu, Y., J. Zhang, and J. Zhang. 2009. “A modified Brazilian disk tension test.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 46 (2): 421–425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2008.04.008.
Zheng, W., A. K. H. Kwan, and P. K. K. Lee. 2001. “Direct tension test of concrete.” Mater. J. 98 (1): 63–71. https://doi.org/10.14359/10162.
Zhou, S., X. Zhuang, H. Zhu, and T. Rabczuk. 2018. “Phase field modelling of crack propagation, branching and coalescence in rocks.” Theor. Appl. Fract. Mech. 96 (Aug): 174–192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tafmec.2018.04.011.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34 • Issue 6 • June 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 19, 2021
Accepted: Oct 21, 2021
Published online: Mar 24, 2022
Published in print: Jun 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Aug 24, 2022
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.
Cited by
- Lan-Ping Qian, Bo-Tao Huang, Ling-Yu Xu, Jian-Guo Dai, Concrete made with high-strength artificial geopolymer aggregates: Mechanical properties and failure mechanisms, Construction and Building Materials, 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.130318, 367, (130318), (2023).
- Jing Ling, Hongying Wang, Hongzhong Mou, An Efficient Boundary-Type Meshless Computational Approach for the Axial Compression on the Part Boundary of the Circular Shaft (Brazilian Test), Applied Sciences, 10.3390/app122211806, 12, 22, (11806), (2022).