It is well known that the tensile strength of most materials is dependent on the strain rate, increasing with higher strain rates. During the last two decades new types of cement based materials have been invented with very high strength…
It is well known that the tensile strength of most materials is dependent on the strain rate, increasing with higher strain rates. During the last two decades new types of cement based materials have been invented with very high strength and very high ductility. The mechanical properties of this kind of materials have hitherto not been investigated at high strain rates. One of the most efficient ways to test concrete at high strain rates is by using the Hopkinson bar bundle where precise measurements can be perfonned at strain rates as high as 1 20 s- . In this work four very different kinds of concrete have been tested at high strain rates using a Hopkinson bar. It is shown that the tensile strent:,rth and the ductility of the four types of concrete are highly dependent on the strain rate.