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Size effect on strength and fracture energy for numerical concrete with realistic aggregate shapes

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Abstract

Fracture of concrete at the scale of the aggregate structure (or smaller) is a complicated process. Simple simulation models may be of help in understanding fracture in more detail, provided that the material structure is incorporated in as much detail as possible. A combined approach using computed tomography and image processing allows us to model concrete close to reality. The shape of the aggregates is included in a 3D beam lattice model for fracture. Fracture of concrete beams is simulated under 3-point bending with different sizes, aggregate densities and aggregates shapes, focusing on the size effect on structural strength and fracture energy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (D-BAUG), Institute for Building Materials, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    Hau-Kit Man & Jan G. M. van Mier

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  1. Hau-Kit Man
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  2. Jan G. M. van Mier
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Correspondence to Hau-Kit Man.

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Man, HK., van Mier, J.G.M. Size effect on strength and fracture energy for numerical concrete with realistic aggregate shapes. Int J Fract 154, 61–72 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-008-9270-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-008-9270-y

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