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Loading rate effects on cracking behavior of flaw-contained specimens under uniaxial compression

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Abstract

To investigate the loading rate effects on the cracking processes of flaw-contained specimens under compressive loading, rectangular parallelepiped specimens containing centrally located single and double flaw(s) are numerically loaded using the bonded-particle model (BPM). The study reveals that the uniaxial compressive stress (\(\upsigma _\mathrm{c})\) and coalescence stress (\(\upsigma _\mathrm{cc})\) increase significantly, while the first crack initiation stress (\(\upsigma _\mathrm{ci})\) only subtly increases with the increase of loading rate. The trajectories of the first and secondary cracks become shorter while the amount of discrete micro-cracks increases as the loading rate increases. The mode of coalescence cracks changes from tensile-segments-dominant to shear-band-dominant when the loading rate increases. The shape of the stress-strain curves of specimens loaded at different rates also varies. Based on the present study, an upper limit of loading rate of 0.08 m/s deems to be acceptable for cracking processes analysis under static load using the BPM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Block N1, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Xiao-Ping Zhang & Louis Ngai Yuen Wong

  2. Key Laboratory of Engineering Geomechanics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China

    Xiao-Ping Zhang

Authors
  1. Xiao-Ping Zhang
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  2. Louis Ngai Yuen Wong
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Correspondence to Louis Ngai Yuen Wong.

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Zhang, XP., Wong, L.N.Y. Loading rate effects on cracking behavior of flaw-contained specimens under uniaxial compression. Int J Fract 180, 93–110 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-012-9803-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-012-9803-2

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