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Characterization of concrete failure behavior: a comprehensive experimental database for the calibration and validation of concrete models

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Abstract

Concrete is undoubtedly the most important and widely used construction material of the late twentieth century. Yet, mathematical models that can accurately capture the particular material behavior under all loading conditions of significance are scarce at best. Although concepts and suitable models have existed for quite a while, their practical significance is low due to the limited attention to calibration and validation requirements and the scarcity of robust, transparent and comprehensive methods to perform such tasks. In addition, issues such as computational cost, difficulties associated with calculating the response of highly nonlinear systems, and, most importantly, lack of comprehensive experimental data sets have hampered progress in this area. This paper attempts to promote the use of advanced concrete models by (a) providing an overview of required tests and data preparation techniques; and (b) making a comprehensive set of concrete test data, cast from the same batch, available for model development, calibration, and validation. Data included in the database ‘http://www.baunat.boku.ac.at/cd-labor/downloads/versuchsdaten’ comprise flexure tests of four sizes, direct tension tests, confined and unconfined compression tests, Brazilian splitting tests of five sizes, and loading and unloading data. For all specimen sets the nominal stress–strain curves and crack patterns are provided.

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Acknowledgments

The financial support by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth and the National Foundation for Research, Technology and Development for part of the analysis is gratefully acknowledged, as is the financial support from the U.S. Department of Transportation, provided through Grant No. 20778 from the Infrastructure Technology Institute of Northwestern University, for the initial size effect investigation. The work of G. Cusatis was supported under NSF Grant No. 0928448.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Christian Doppler Laboratory, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Peter-Jordanstr. 82, 1190, Vienna, Austria

    Roman Wendner & Jan Vorel

  2. Czech Technical University in Prague, Thakurova 7, 16629, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jan Vorel

  3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Christian G. Hoover

  4. Technological Institute, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA

    Jovanca Smith, Zdeněk P. Bažant & Gianluca Cusatis

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  1. Roman Wendner
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  2. Jan Vorel
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  4. Christian G. Hoover
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  5. Zdeněk P. Bažant
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  6. Gianluca Cusatis
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Correspondence to Gianluca Cusatis.

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Wendner, R., Vorel, J., Smith, J. et al. Characterization of concrete failure behavior: a comprehensive experimental database for the calibration and validation of concrete models. Mater Struct 48, 3603–3626 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-014-0426-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-014-0426-0

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