This paper presents the rate dependent fracture behaviors of concrete with different loading rates. The volume of concrete is discretized by an irregular lattice of rigid-body-spring elements, and the rate dependency is considered in the viscoplastic framework. The dynamic strength…
This paper presents the rate dependent fracture behaviors of concrete with different loading rates. The volume of concrete is discretized by an irregular lattice of rigid-body-spring elements, and the rate dependency is considered in the viscoplastic framework. The dynamic strength increase is obtained from the direct tensile test, and the viscoplastic properties are calibrated through comparisons with the experimental data. The flexural tests are performed with three-point-bending specimens under mixed-mode fracture and the effect of loading rate on the fracture pattern is achieved at slow and fast loading rates. The results of mixed- mode beam tests indicate that the fast loading could bring about the increase of strength and diagonal tension- shear failure contrast to flexural failure at the slow rate of loading.