Dr.lr. A.J.

Zielirtski

Concrete under biaxial

loading:
^
static compression impact tension

Report 5-85-1

Rapp
CT

Beton
85-04

^ ^ p ^ ^ J I ~\ ^ ^ I T ^
I
I I I J \^ I I L
Technische Hogeschool Delft

Department of Civil Engineering

Concrete Structures
Stevin Laboratory

a^^
pfV

Delft University of Technology

Report

5-85-1

Department of Civil Engineering

Research No. 2.3.83.07

January 1985

^>

i/oS'^-}<'

CONCRETE UNDER BIAXIAL LOADING:

STATIC COMPRESSION - IMPACT TENSION

dr.ir. A.J. Zielinski

Mail ing address:

Technische Hogeschool
fl^^- Bibliotheek
Afdeling: Civiele Techniek
I Stevinweg 1

Delft University of Technology

Stevin Laboratory
Stevinweg 4
2628 CN Delft
The Netherlands

Pir^ Xif. di/B

S 7~Z ^^(9r^/

f postbus 5048
2600 GA

Delft

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research program has been carried out at the Stevin Laboratory with
financial support recieved from the Foundation for the Technical Sciences
(STW Project DCT 11.0166), which is gratefully acknowledged and with the
stimulus of valuable discussions with the project director prof.dr.-ing.
H.W. Reinhardt.

- 3

CONTENTS

Summary

1.

INTRODUCTION

2.

LITERATURE SURVEY

3.

SCOPE OF THE EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM

4.

TESTING EQUIPMENT

5.

4.1

Hopkinson apparatus

4.2

Measurement set-up

SPECIMENS
5.1

Manufacture

5.2

Properties of concrete

6. TESTING PROCEDURES
7.

RESULTS OF BIAXIAL TESTS

7.1

Failure envelopes

7.2

Stress-strain curves

8.

DISCUSSION

9.

CONCLUSIONS
NOTATION
REFERENCES

- 4 SUMMARY
This investigation is focused on the behaviour of concrete under combined
compression and tension.
The biaxial tests on concrete prisms (50x80x100mm) were carried out in the
modified Hopkinson apparatus.

Specimens were subjected to different levels

of compression (a ) and thereafter subjected to either static or impact

- 1 4
tensile loading (stress rates 10
and 10 N/mm^/s respectively). Static
and impact failure envelopes of concrete are determined as well as stressstrain curves.
It emerged that failure envelopes of concrete under biaxial compressiontension have similar shape under static and impact loading conditions. The
static envelopes may therefore be extended to higher rates of loading with
the aid of strength-loading rate relations from uniaxial tests.
The impact stress-strain curves are steeper than the static ones, and the
strains corresponding to the ultimate stress % are larger under impact
loading. Low compressive stresses (a < ^ f '

) had little effect on the

stress-strain curves, whereas higher stresses o

decreased the ultimate

stress a. and resulted in greater curvature of the stress-strain curves.

Single fracture and multiple fracture modes of failure were observed in
biaxial tests carried out on specimens subjected to low and to high
compressive stresses respectively.
The results of this investigation are discussed in view of the scarce
results obtained by other researchers.
The results obtained are explained with the aid of mechanisms of crack
extension and fracture of concrete.

- 5 INTRODUCTION
The behaviour of structures under impact loading calls for special attention.
Accidental impact on nuclear reactor containments, offshore structures and
highway structures among others may lead to environmental disasters and
lost of human 1ives.
Reliable assessment methods for the response of such structures to impact
are needed in order to provide the required safety and to allow rational,
economical design.
The finite element method can be applied to advanced dynamic analysis of
concrete structures. It can account for the rate-sensitiveness of materials
which has been investigated mainly by means of uniaxial tests.
In actual structures, however, concrete members are usually in a multiaxial
state of stresses.
It is therefore necessary to know whether the results of uniaxial impact
tests on concrete can be directly extended to comprise a multiaxial state
of stress.
The present investigation is focused upon the behaviour of concrete in
biaxial compression-tension.

- 6LITERATURE SURVEY
Experimental investigations show that concrete is a r a t e - s e n s i t i v e m a t e r i a l .
Results obtained by various researchers in tests at high loading rates are
reviewed in [ 1 ] .
It appears that the effect of the loading rate is more pronounced in tension
than in compression.
Furthermore, the behaviour of low quality concretes is more affected by
high rates of loading than that of high quality concretes.
The ultimate stress a

can be linked with the stress rate a by the formula

proposed by Mihashi and Izumi [2]:

1
"u

^ /jf_, 1+6

U,0 '

(2.1)

where the subscript "o" refers to the static loading conditions and B is a
material parameter. The approximate value of the exponent -r- is 0.042 for
I +p

uniaxial tension.
Results of multiaxial tests on concrete are scarce. To the author's knowledge there is only one reported investigation [3] concerning the behaviour
of concrete at the multiaxial state of stress and high rates of loading.
The tests were carried out on concrete cylinders. First, confining pressure
was applied; then the specimens were subjected either to axial tension or
to axial compression. Three rates of straining were applied under axial
loading:
- static

= 10"^/s,(S);

- intermediate = 10"^/s ,(III);

- impact s = 1/s, (I).
Figure 2.1 shows stress-strain curves for axially loaded concrete at various
levels of confinement and three loading rates. It emerges that the compressive strength and the corresponding strain increase with increasing
confining pressure and rate of loading. For tension the picture is less
clear due to initial compressive stresses caused by confinement. The higher
resistance of concrete to axial tension is manifest for higher strain rates.
Takeda et al . [3] represented these results in the three dimensional stressspace - see Fig. 2.2. The effect of the rate of loading upon the failure

- 7envelope for concrete is manifest.

Fig. 2.3 shows the relation between the octahedral shear stress and the
octahedral normal stress standardized to the uniaxial compressive strength
at the appropriate rate of loading, it can be concluded that the rate effect
on tensile and compressive behaviour is consistent for concrete at various
levels of confining pressure. This indicates that for the purpose of a
general dynamic analysis of concrete structures a unique formulation of
the loading rate effect can be used.
G(N/mm^^"93

C(N/mm2)

E(10--*)

edO-l

a. compression
stress (N/mm^)

b. tension

Fig. 2.1

Influence of axial straining rate and magnitude of confining

pressure on axial stress-strain curves of concrete [3]

- 8 -

OjikOalN/mm^)

Fig. 2.2 Rate effect on failure envelope of concrete in the triaxial state
of stress [3].

"CocL'Cb

-Q25

Fig. 2.3 Relation between octahedral shearing stress ( T ^ ) and octahedral

normal stress (^^QJ,*.) ^t various strain rates [3].

Nilsson [4] proposed a constitutive model for concrete which accounts for
rate effects by means of a single rate hardening parameter. The failure
conditions can be expressed as:

% / " u , 0 ^ S ^^^2 ^" (^'') - C 3 l n ( ^ ^ ) 2

(2.2)

ef
where i
is the effective strain rate and the parameters C., C and C,
can be obtained by fitting to the experimental data.

- 9SCOPE OF THE EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM

The object of this investigation is to determine the behaviour of concrete
under biaxial loading regime: static compression

impact tension.

Besides the impact tests the static biaxial compression-tension tests have
to be performed in order to obtain reference data for defining rate effects.
The behaviour under biaxial loading will be characterized by means of
failure envelopes and stress-strain curves.
Various levels of compression should be investigated in biaxial tests.
The companion uniaxial tests have to be carried out.
The tests involve plain concretes of low quality of high quality, the mean
cube compressive strength being ~ 20 N/mm^ and ~ 50 N/mm^ respectively.
The test parameters are listed in Table 3.1.

Table 3.1

Variables of the experimental program

levels of

low (0-1/4)

compressive stress

intermediate (1/4-1/2)

(y^cyi)

high (>1/2)

rate of tensile

static

(10' )

loading (N/mm^s)

impact

(10^)

compressive strength

low ('\.20)

of concrete (N/mm^)

high ('\>50)

- 10 -

Fig. 4.1

Principle of the Split Hopkinson Bar test method and the overall
view of the apparatus constructed.

- 11 -

4.

TESTING EQUIPMENT

4.1

Hopkinson apparatus
A Split-Hopkinson-Bar technique has been extensively used in the Stevin
Laboratory for the testing of plain concrete and fibre-reinforced concrete
under impact tensile loading [5,6].
The equipment has also been applied to testing the bond between steel and
concrete at high'loading rates [7]. Here a brief description of the Hopkinson equipment will be given.
The apparatus has been constructed for stress rates in the range from 10
5
to 10 N/mm^/s and maximum load duration of about 2 mill second.

It consists of this coaxial aluminium bars between which a specimen is

glued (see Fig. 4.1). A tensile stress pulse can be generated by a drop
weight hitting the anvil at the bottom of the lower bar. The pulse propagates
upwards at a velocity of about 5000 m/s, passes through the specimen and
reaches the damper at the end of the upper bar. The 3.5m length of the
lower bar ensures a uniformly distributed stress pulse. The 5m length of
the upper bar prevents reflections from the fixed upper end reaching the
specimen before the initial pulse has passed and fractured the specimen.
Because aluminium and concrete have similar mechanical impedance, reflections
at the bar-specimen-bar interfaces are minimized. The diameter of the bars
is 74mm, whereas concrete prisms with a cross-section of 50x80mm have been
used for biaxial tests. The reflections due to the geometrical mismatch
between the bars and the specimen are virtually eliminated
out by special adapters (074mm->-

due to smoothing

50mmx80mm over a length of 100mm).

Almost the whole initial pulse can be transmitted through the concrete
specimen into the upper bar in which the strains were measured by strain
gauges. These measurements were used for calculating the loading force
and the tensile stress in the specimen. The static tensile tests can also
be carried out in the Hopkinson apparatus. The lower bar can be pulled by
a steel cable fixed in a hydraulic jack.
The longitudinal and lateral strains were measured on concrete prisms instrumented with 30mm long strain gauges (Tokyo Sokki Kenkyujo Co.Ltd.PL-30)
on the front and back faces.
Additional prestressing equipment (see Fig. 4.2) enables biaxial tests to
be performed in the Hopkinson apparatus.

- 12 -

Fig. 4.2

Prestressing equipment used for biaxial compression-tension tests

on concrete.

- 13 This equipment consists of four steel platens (40x550x750mm) mounted on

steel bars of 20mm diameter.
A flat hydraulic prestressing jack (capacity 400kN) is placed between two
platens on one side of the equipment.
On the other side a force-measuring device is placed between two other
platens. The compressive force is applied to the specimen through special
"steel brushes" fixed to the inner pair of platens. Each of the brushes
consists of 1260 single rods (4mmx4mmx100mm) spaced with 0.2mm clear distance between them.
The brushes have been developed by Nelissen [8] and were found to satisfy
stiffness requirements with respect to free deformations at the uniformly
loaded faces of the specimen.
4.2

Measurement set-up
The measurements in biaxial tests comprise the strain in the upper bar
e., , the longitudinal strain e- and lateral strain e^ on the free faces of
the concrete specimen, and the prestressing force P.
The tensile stress o and the compressive stress <^p in the specimen can be
determined as follows:

"l =

^AT^Al-'^Al
bT^

(4.1)

^2= A
where: E Al
^Al
b,d,h

(4.2)
modulus of elasticity of aluminium bar
cross-section of aluminium bar
width, depth and hight of concrete prism

The measuring signals are amplified by four Tektronix TM 503 amplifiers and
fed into two Nicolet Explorer II 2-channel transient recorders
maximum measuring frequency of 2 MH

with a

and 4k core.

The results can be stored on floppy disks for further processoring by the
laboratory computer HP 21 MX or for plotting by x-y recorders.
Fig. 4.3 shows a schematic view of the measuring system.

- 14 -

R|-^

'^

Fig. 4.3

Measurement set-up
1. Tektronix TM-503 a m p l i f i e r
2. Nicolet Explorer I I transient recorder

- 15 -

SPECIMENS
1

Manufacture
A high q u a l i t y and a low q u a l i t y concrete were tested in t h i s research.
Table 5.1 shows two mix compositions. Portland cement type I I I (B) and r i v e r
gravel were used.
Table 5.1

Mix composition
Mix A

Mix B

cement content
(kg/m^)
water/cement ratio
(kg/kg)

375

190

0.50

0.85

aggregate content
sand+gravel (kg/m^)
aggregate grading (%)

1820

1950

30

32

2-4

20

22

1-2

15

16

15

11

13

11

4-8

mm

0.5-1
0.25-0.5
0.1-0.25

The specimens used in the biaxial tests were sawed from five 50mmx290mmx
320mm concrete slabs which had been cast in a single mould. Companion
specimens were cast for the standard control tests:
-

6 cubes (150mm)

for compressive tests,

6 cubes (150mm)

for tensile splitting tests,

3 cylinders (015Ommx4OOmm) for compressive tests.,

During casting, the mix was compacted for 120 s. Demoulding took place after two days, after which the slabs, cubes and cylinders were stored in a
room with 100% relative humidity. Two weeks after casting, the slabs were
cut with a slow-feed diamond saw and polished. Finally, 50mmx80mmx100mm
prisms were obtained. They contained two parallel 5mm deep saw-cuts situated
35mm from the bottom of specimens.

- 16 -

Four weeks after casting, control tests were performed on six cubes and
three cylinders. Another six cubes were kept together with prisms in the
laboratory hall (ambient temperature about 20C and R.H. ~ 50%) and tested
at the age of 8 weeks, when biaxial tests had been already completed.
The upper and lower faces of the prisms were covered with a thin layer of
polyester resin in order to improve bond between the specimen and the filled
polyester resin F88 (Tridox Products, USA) which was used for gluing in the
Hopkinson apparatus. About one day before testing the prisms were each instrumented with four strain gauges.
The tests on prisms were carried out in the 5th and 6-th week after casting.
Properties of concrete
The quality of concrete was determined by means of standard laboratory tests
on 150mm cubes and 01OOmmx4OOmm cylinders at the age of 28 days.
Additional tests on cubes were carried out at the age of 56 days. Three
specimens were used for eacht type of tests. The rate of loading was
0.5 N/mm^/s in compression tests and 0.1 N/mm^/s in tensile splitting tests.
Table 5.1 shows results of these tests.
Table 5.1

Results of static control tests.

Mean values and coefficients of variation

Mix A
28d
56d
Cube compressive strength
f' (N/mm^)
c.v. (%)
Cylinder compressive strength
f' , (N/mm^)

c":V. {%)
Cube tensile splitting strength
f,nl (N/mmM
c!^! (%)

49.5
1.6

58.8
3.6

34.3
3.0
3.05
6.1

Mix B
28d
56d
20.7
5.8
14.0
10.7

3.49
3.5

1.57
7.0

Secant modulus of elasticity

at a - 2/3 f'y^
E /N/mm2)
c.v. (%)

62430
7.3

25.8
2.6

34145
5.9

2.03
5.2

- 17 TESTING PROCEDURES
The 50mmx80mmx100mm prisms for biaxial tests were first subjected to compression. A prism was placed between the brushes, and the pressure in the
flat jack was increased to the chosen level. Next, the prism was glued between
the lower and the upper bar of the Hopkinson apparatus - the applied pressure was about 0.1 N/mm^. The filled polyester resin F88 requires about
J hour to harden. The longitudinal and lateral strains of the free faces of
the specimens as well as the prestressing force were measured during
prestressing and gluing. When the vertical pressure was relieved, the
specimen ceased to be loaded in this direction, since the lower bar was
balanced by compensation weights.
In the static tests the axial tensile force was gradually increased up to
failure of the concrete occurred. The rate of loading was approximately
0.1 N/mm^s. In the impact tests the drop-weight was used and the rate of
4
loading was about 10 N/mm/s.
The strains in the specimen, the strain in the upper aluminium bar and the
prestress were measured during tensile loading and then registered on
floppy disks for further analysis of the measurements.
The specimens were visually examined first after prestressing and then after tensile loading in order to detect cracking outside the zone weakened
by the saw-cut.

- 18 -

o
Ol

ai
02
Qp [tliit f

0.3

O.A
STATIC

l^y

343
140

IMPACT

1/8
O

VB
0/fcyl

Oz/tyl
(a)

F i g . 7.1

(b)

Strength of concrete under biaxial compression-tension

a. t e s t results
b. Mohr-Coulomb f a i l u r e envelope

- 19 RESULTS OF BIAXIAL TESTS

Failure envelopes
The results obtained are summarized in Table 7.1 and 7.2 for mix A and
mix B respectively.
The values of the static tensile strength f

and the impact tensile strength

f are given for various levels of the compressive stress a,.

The results of biaxial tests can be represented in a two-dimensional stress
plane with the principal stresses ^. and o

on axes. The stresses are

usually standardized with respect to compressive strength. The cylinder

compressive strength f' -, will be used here as reference. This investigation
is limited to the compression-tension quadrant of the ^^''^2

stress plane.

Fig. 7.1 shows results of either static compression - static tension tests
or static compression - impact tension tests. The companion results of
uniaxial tensile tests are also plotted.
The lines which are plotted in Fig. 7.1a correspond with the Mohr-Coulomb
failure envelope:

Figure 7.1b shows this criterion with f=1/8 f' , [16].

Despite considerable scatter in the results, several features can be observed.
The tensile strength of concrete is hardly affected by compressive stresses
up to about 0.7 f', caused by preloading in the direction perpendicular
to the direction of tensile loading.
It appears that at all levels of compressive stress tested the impact tensile strength of concrete is higher than the static tensile strength.
There is no pronounced difference between the high-quality concrete and
the low-quality concrete. Obviously the absolute strength values are higher
in the case of the high-quality concrete (compare Tables 7.1 and 7.2).

- 20 Table 7.1

Results of tests on Mix A (f' ^ = 34.3 N/mm^)

Compressive stress (N/mm^)

02
-

5.7
7.7
8.1
14.0
14.9
16.0
16.1
18.4
22.5
31.0
-

4.0
5.0
6.7
7.5
8.5
9.8
11.0
14.8
15.6
18.9
19.7
21.9
22.0
26.7
26.8
27.2

Tensile strength (N/mm^)

static
impact
^0

1.98
2.07
2.16
2.22
2.33
2.80
2.07
2.13
1.97
1.58
2.52
2.81
1.65
2.61
1.77
1.49
4.02
4.98
5.03
5.82
6.02
4.30
5.39
5.13
5.04
4.67
4.01
5.26
4.12
4.23
4.82
5.12
3.81
5.32
3.32
4.39
2.40

- 21 -

Table 7.2

Results of tests on Mix B ( f ^ = 14.0 N/mm^)

Compressive stress (N/mm^)

Tensile strength (N/mm^)

static
impact

^2

^0

4.1
4.1
4.4
7.5
9.7
4.0
4.2
5.4
6.9
7.3
9.7
9.9

0.98
1.04
1.06
0.75
0.77
0.51
0.40
0.57

1.72
2.33
2.88
1.49
1.08
2.08
1.12
1.52
1.65
1.98

Considering failure modes (see Fig. 7.2), it was observed that most of the
specimens fractured at the section reduced by saw-cuts.
Some specimens subjected to high '^,. compressive stress (a \ f' -i) exhibited
multiple fracture as shown in Fig. 7.3.

- 22 -

(a)

(b)

F i g . 7,2

F a i l u r e modes:
a . simple f r a c t u r e
b. m u l t i p l e

fracture

- 23 2

Stress-strain curves

The representative stress-strain curves are shown in Figs. 7.3 and 7.4 for
mix A and mix B respectively. Tensile stress (o.) is plotted on the vertical
axis whereas strains {t.

and E O ) are plotted on the horizontal axis.

The curves refer either to impact (I) or to static (S) tensile loading tests
carried out on previously compressed concrete prisms.

It should be emphasized that the strains e. and e^ are due to tensile

loading only; hence for obtaining the total strain e? and eJ for biaxially
loaded concrete the initial strains e? and e due to compression have to
be added. The total strains are also given.

Considering high-strength concrete (see Fig. 73)

it can be observed that

the tensile stress-strain curves are hardly affected by compressive preloading at low Op stress levels (up to about 1/3 f' , ) . They are almost
linear. At higher o

stress levels the stress-strain curves are less steep

and bend more markedly towards the horizontal. The strain e. at failure is
significantly larger than in the case of low o
From figure 7.4 emerges that the ,-e, curves for low-strength concrete are
in general more strongly curved than those for high-strength concrete.
The tensile strain e- at failure is smaller for biaxially loaded concrete
than in the case of uniaxial loading. The latter is true for both static
and impact tensile loading. The stress-strain curves obtained in this investigation do not possess a descending branch, this being due to the test
technique.

24

o,(N/mm^)

200

50,^ .

Fig. 7.3

No.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0

Stress-strain curves of concrete mix A

Static/
Impact

s
s
s
s

-100

e^lO W m )

e, (10 m/m)

ap(N/mm2)

0.0
8.1
14.0
22.5

0.0
5.0
8.5
11.0
18.9
19.7

e* (10"^m/m)

46
111
201
337
130
156
182
152
351
337

:* (10"^m/m)
19
304
637
813
28
294
321
533
1000
813

25

o,(N/mm2)

200

50 ^
100
3(10 m/m)

^
150
e,(10^m/m)

Fig. 7.4

No,
1
2
3
4
5

Stress-strain curves of concrete mix B

Static/
Impact
S
S
I
I
I

a2(N/mm2)
0.0
7.5
0.0
4.0
6.9

e* (10"m/m)
62
108
94
102
91

E* (lO'^'m/m)
8
518
6
230
359

- 26 -

5(V

Pp = -190l<p*llli (JTOOpi)
Pp=-315kpfcm' (4450pi)
Pp-590kp/cm2 (e350pi)

6i=-0103 Fi-. I

'
I
ei-02046t-'I
;'

Ttnilt iplilting ttnnglh

;I
,
^
)
U.

SHXIHE-,

(a)

(b)

-02

:I

r-

O ^ -4827pi (-339i3kgf/cm2)

(c)

1.0

Fig. 8.1

0.8

06

0.4

02

-0.1

Ultimate stress envelope of concrete under combined compression

tension:
a. results of Kupfer, Hilsdorf and Rusch [9]
b. results of Nelissen [8]
c. results of Tasuji, Slate and Nilson [10]

- 27 -

DISCUSSION
In general, the results of static compression-tension tests are in agreement
with the results of previous biaxial experiments on concrete carried out by
Kupfer et al. [9], Nelissen [8] and Tusuji et al. [10] (see Fig. 8.1).
With respect to failure envelopes it can be observed that the tensile
strength of concrete in biaxial compression-tension gradually decreases
with the compressive stress a^ up to about 0.7 of the cylinder compressive
strength f' ,. The tensile strength can be approximated by the uniaxial
tensile strength in that range of o,^. At higher stresses a^ the decrease
in the tensile strength is pronounced.
The results of this investigation indicate that the strength increase due
to high rates of loading is similar for concrete subjected to uniaxial tension and for concrete subjected to biaxial compression-tension. It appears
that the rate effects determined in uniaxial tests on concrete apply also
to the strength of concrete under various multiaxial loading regimes as
suggested by Takeda et al. [3].
The rate-dependent failure envelopes for concrete in biaxial compressiontension can be constructed by combining equation 2.1 with the Mohr-Coulomb
failure criterion with tension cut off. The above is illustrated in Fig.
8.2.

cctg

Fig. 8.2

Rate-dependent failure envelope of concrete under combined

compression-tension (f/fQ=(^/Q)

- 28 It should be pointed out that also other failure criteria may be adopted
for high rates of loading with the aid of either equation 2.1 or equation
2.2.
The stress-strain curves determined in this investigation are not directly
comparable with curves obtained in earlier biaxial tests [8,9,10] owing
to the different loading paths and testing conditions. In the abovementioned tests compressive and tensile stresses were applied simultaneously,
whereas in this investigation the specimens were first compressed

and then

subjected to tensile loading.

Fig. 8.3

Radial stress along interface of a rigid either perfectly bond

on or partially debonded inclusion:
a. the external compression is applied at infinity in the
horizontal direction
b. the external tension is applied at infinity in the
vertical direction

- 29 In general, little influence of compressive stresses ^p - J

for the o.-E. and a.-e^

cvl is found

curves. The curves of low-strength concrete are

little more affected by o

than those of high-strength concrete. The

effect of compression is pronounced at higher a stress levels. A significant increase of the strains E . can be observed for the static as well as
impact a,-E. curves of the high-strength concrete as compared with curves
at low compressive stresses. The strains E. at failure are much larger for
high than for low op stress levels in the case of high-strength concrete,
whereas the opposite is true for low-strength concrete.
The modes of failure observed - simple fracture at low ap and multiple
fracture at high op " illustrate that combined mechanisms of compressive
and tensile failure are involved in tests on concrete under biaxial loading.
The following can be helpful in studying the behaviour of concrete under
biaxial compression-tension. The analysis of Mushelishvili[11] and of
Perlman et al. [12] can be used for determining the state of stress around
a single rigid inclusion in the elastic matrix subjected to either compressive or tensile loading. Fig. 8.3 shows several cases of concentrations
of radial stresses o /a along interfaces of inclusions. Fig. 8.4 illustrates
transfer of compressive forces in a system consisting of a few rigid inclusions embedded in the elastic matrix.

Fig. 8.4

Zones of local tension (T) and compression (C) between rigid

inclusions in a matrix subjected to uniaxial compression.

- 30 With respect to the biaxial tests on concrete it should be pointed out

that, on the one hand the compression can lead to extension of bond cracks
inherent in this material or to creation of new cracks in the zones of
tension (T). This can promote formation of fracture planes in the same direction as those caused by tensile loading applied perpendicularly to the
direction of compressive loading. On the other hand, the zones of compression (C) can arrest the growth of bond cracks during tensile loading
and therefore obstruct the formation of continuous fracture planes. Presumably the mechanisms described above occur simultaneously and efficiently
oppose each other, so that little effect of compressive loading on the
failure envelope of concrete under biaxial compression-tension is to be
observed.
The experimental investigations [13,14] on concrete in uniaxial compression
have shown that bond microcracks extend along interfaces of aggregate
particles under load exceeding about 35% of the ultimate load. At about
80-90% of the ultimate load the cracks tend to propagate parallel to the
direction of loading, through the mortar matrix. The above means that only
high compressive stresses oo lead to the formation of partly fractured
planes perpendicular to the direction of tensile loading in biaxial tests.
Low Op stresses do not cause significant cracking and therefore hardly
affect the ultimate tensile stress.
Considering the strains in the concrete, it emerges that the strain E ^ in
the direction of compressive loading gradually increases with the compressive
stress Op, whereas the strain E . in the other direction may rapidly increase
due to crack formation at higher levels of Op.
The strain E. during tensile loading may be larger in combined compression
tension, especially at higher levels of a, than in uniaxial tension owing
to the opening of a multitude of cracks situated in the planes perpendicular
to the direction of E..
The effects of high rates of loading upon the behaviour of concrete in uniaxial tension is extensively discussed in [15] in the light of previous
investigations carried out in the Stevin Laboratory. The mechanisms of extensive simoultaneous cracking and fracturing of tougher material zones
have been considered as essential to the explanation of greater energy absorption, higher tensile strength and larger corresponding strain of concrete under impact loading than under static loading conditions.

- 31 Similar rate effects are observed in this investigation on concrete loaded

under combined compression and tension. The present question is whether the
same mechanisms of fracture at high loading rates apply to concrete subjected to compressive preloading as to the virgin material. In the case of
uniaxial loading (see Fig. 8.5) the rapidly increasing tension can drive
the cracks to rapid extension through tough aggregate particles instead of
growing around them. It can also cause pronounced extension of cracks in
the whole volume of highly strained material zones.

STATIC

Fig. 8.5

crocrocks

IMPACT

Fundamental difference between static and impact tensile fracture.

In the case of biaxial loading of concrete under compressive stress a and

slowly increasing tension a. further extension of bond cracks and mortar
cracks will take place in the zones of tension (T). Many of these cracks
can be arrested in the zones of compression (C) or by tough aggregate
particles. Others can penetrate through the weakest or less precompressed
parts of the matrix and form continuous fractures. Of course, more extensive
cracking will occur for higher levels of compressive stress a.

- 32 Under impact tensile loading conditions a multitude of bond cracks inherent

in the concrete and cracks in the zones of tension (T) generated by compressive loading may be driven to grow at the same time. They will propagate
very fast through tougher material zones and precompressed zones owing to
rapidly increasing tension and inertia effects of elements beside the surface of rapidly extending cracks. Here again, high compressive stresses a
may increase the total amount of cracking.
The fracture mechanisms described above are consistent with results of
biaxial tests on concrete.

- 33 -

CONCLUSIONS
1. The increase in strength due to high rates of tensile loading was similar
for concrete under uniaxial loading and for concrete subjected to biaxial
compress ion-ten si on.
2. Failure envelopes of concrete under combined compression and tension
have similar shape under static and impact loading conditions.
3. The strength-loading rate relationships determined in uniaxial tests can
be used for extending failure envelopes of concrete under static compression-tension to higher rates of loading. It seems that the same
procedures can be applied to constructing rate-dependent failure envelopes
of concrete under other combinations of multiaxial loading.
4. Both the static and the impact stress-strain curves of concrete in tension o. were little affected by low compressive stresses (c^pS ^ f' ,).
At higher stresses CT the stress-strain curves showed greater curvature.
The ultimate stress o

decreased and the corresponding strain e. in-

creased in the case of high-strength concrete, but decreases in the case

of low-strength concrete.
5. Two modes of failure could be distinguished in biaxial compressiontension tests:
- simple fracture at low compressive stresses ^
- multiple fracture at high compressive stresses ^p
6. The impact stress-strain curves are in general steeper than the static
ones, and the strains at the ultimate stress ^. are larger under impact
loading than under static loading.
7. The mechanisms of crack extension and fracture of concrete discussed
are consistent with experimental evidence obtained in this investigation.
8. Further investigations on concrete under various combinations of multiaxial loading are required for verifying the rate-sensitiveness of concrete subjected to different loading conditions.

- 34 NOTATION
8
a
o. ,0p
0
a
AHJ,O,
Mo
cu
aoct.
Toct4.
E
E.,Ep
EpEp
E|,2

ef

f
f
f 1
f'
f' 1
A
C
E
P
b,d,h
c.v.

- material parameter
- stress
- principal stresses
- ultimate stress
- stress rate
" static values of a,
u and 6
- octahedral normal stress
- octahedral shear stress
- strain
- principal strains
- initial values of E- and p under compressive loading
- total values of E. and Ep due to biaxial loading
- strain rate
- effective strain rate
- uniaxial tensile strength
- static value of f
- tensile splitting strength
- cube compressive strength
- cylinder compressive strength
- cross-section
- constant
- modulus of elasticity
- prestressing force
- dimensions of test prism
- coefficient of variation

- 35 -

REFERENCES

1.

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2.

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3.

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8.

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9.

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- 36 -

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- 37 -

Stevin-reports published by the division of concrete structures:

SR -

SR -

SR -

SR -

SR -

SR -

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S R - 11

SR - 12

SR - 13

SR - 14

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Brunekreef, S.H. "Gedeeltelijk voorgespannen beton; Op buiging belast" (1977).
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Betononderzoek 1971-1975 (met samenvatting in het Engels) (1976).
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onder invloed van een mobiele belasting" (1977).
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- Jo

Corrosie van wapening in beton; de kwestie "Monoliet" (1977).

(5-77-2)
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(1978).
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capacity of a bar and fibre reinforceed concrete beams" (1978).
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Stekelenburg, P.J. van. Walraven, J.C., Mathews, M.S. "Development
of a semicylindrical shaped roof in ferrocement" (1978). out of
print.
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A survey of literature" (1978).
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print.
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beton" (1979).
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(1979).
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concrete under single and repeated uniaxial impact tensile loading"
(1980).
(5-80-3)
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bars and strands under impact loading" (1980).
(5-80-6)
.Betononderzoek 1976-1980 (1980).
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(1980).
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Walraven, J.C. "Aggregate Interlock: a theoretical and experimental
analysis" (dissertatie) (1980).

- 39 -

Walraven, J.C.
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lightweight structural members without shear reinforcement" (1980).
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cv:-' . ::
'.:-.
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uniaxial impact tensile loading" (1981).
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effects" (1984).
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40 -

SR - 58

Zielinski, A.J. "Concrete under biaxial loading: static compression

- impact tension" (1985).
(5-85-1)

t .(tt.'Si'-^;-

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