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An Experimental Method to Determine the Tensile Strength of Concrete at High Rates of Strain

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Abstract

In the present work, dynamic tensile strength of concrete is experimentally investigated by means of spalling tests. Based on extensive numerical simulations, the paper presents several advances to improve the processing of spalling tests. The striker is designed to get a more uniform tensile stress field in the specimen. Three methods proposed in the literature to deduce the dynamic strength of the specimen are discussed as well as the use of strain gauges and a laser extensometer. The experimental method is applied to process data of several tests performed on wet micro-concrete at strain rates varying from 30 to 150/s. A significant increase of the dynamic tensile strength with strain-rate is observed and compared with data of the literature. In addition, post-mortem studies of specimens are carried to improve the analysis of damage during spalling tests.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to I. Vegt from TNO, Professor F. Hild from LMT-Cachan, Professors J.R. Klepaczko and L. Toth from LPMM and to Délégation Générale pour l’Armement - Centre d’Etudes de Gramat for supporting this work.

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  1. Laboratoire de Physique et de Mécanique des matériaux, Université Paul Verlaine de Metz, Ile du Saulcy, 57045, Metz Cedex 1, France

    B. Erzar & P. Forquin

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  1. B. Erzar
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  2. P. Forquin
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Correspondence to P. Forquin.

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Erzar, B., Forquin, P. An Experimental Method to Determine the Tensile Strength of Concrete at High Rates of Strain. Exp Mech 50, 941–955 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-009-9284-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-009-9284-z

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