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Experimental study on complete stress-deformation curves of larger-size concrete specimens subjected to uniaxial tension

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Abstract

In order to provide parameters for numerical analyses of the huge Three-Gorge concrete dam (2309 m long by 175 m height), complete tensile stress-deformation curves for large-size plain concrete specimens were measured and studied by performing uniaxial tensile tests on large-size unnotched specimens (250 mm × 250 mm × 1400 mm). The specimens were prepared with the three-graded-aggregate materials provided by the client of the Three-Gorge project. To prevent a failure occurring near the ends of the unnotched specimens, both the ends of each specimen (450 mm in length) were cast using a higher-strength concrete than the middle part (i.e., active part). Tensile tests were completed on a specially-designed tensile testing machine, which can be easily re-assembled to accommodate different-size specimens. To make the specimens fail stably, a cyclic loading scheme was adopted after the peak strength was reached. Four of five tests in this study were successful, and four complete tensile stress-deformation curves were obtained. It was found that the post-peak curve of the large-size specimens used in this study is more gradual than those for the small-size specimens reported in the literature.

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Chen, P., Liang, Zp., Huang, Sq. et al. Experimental study on complete stress-deformation curves of larger-size concrete specimens subjected to uniaxial tension. J. Zhejiang Univ. - Sci. A 7, 1296–1304 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.A1296

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.A1296

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