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Fracture process zone in cementitious materials

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Abstract

The current work is directed to the measurement and prediction of the fracture process zone (FPZ) with the compliance method. The method is renovated with a multi-cutting technique. A new compliance curve C p is established while FPZ in a damaged specimen is removed stepwise by saw-cutting. The length of FPZ can be well determined from C p in comparison with the compliance calibration curve. Results of two different mortars evidence that the multi-cutting method is applicable to cementitious materials.

A general theory is presented in conjunction with the multi-cutting experiment. The bridging stress transferred within FPZ is evaluated from C p by the theory. It is proven with a numerical simulation that the strain-softening relation derived from C p predicts well the global load and displacement relationship. The extension of FPZ at various stages of fracture can also be predicted with the theory if parameters of the strain-softening are available. Both experimental and analytical results affirm the intrinsic connection among FPZ, fracture toughness and fracture energy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Building Materials, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH-Zurich, CH-8093, Switzerland

    Folker H. Wittmann & Xiaozhi Hu

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Xiaozhi Hu

Authors
  1. Folker H. Wittmann
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  2. Xiaozhi Hu
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Wittmann, F.H., Hu, X. Fracture process zone in cementitious materials. Int J Fract 51, 3–18 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00020849

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00020849

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