An experimental investigation into finite similitude for concrete structures

Abstract

Currently, available conventional scaling methodologies are suffering from many deficiencies, which the most important ones can be listed as: (i) the inability to systematically capture the different material properties of full- and small-scale models, (ii) the inability to simultaneously fix two parameters having the same unit, and (iii) a limited number of independent degrees of freedom. To overcome these issues, a new theory called finite similitude has recently been developed. This paper aims to employ the recently introduced finite similitude theory for the scaled analysis of concrete structures. By conducting static three-point bending test on concrete beams at distinct scales, it is revealed that the response behavior of the prototype can be predicted to a good accuracy using small-scale trial models. Scaled-down models are designed based on the zeroth-order finite similitude theory and made from same and different granulations than the prototype. Also, the developed zeroth-order based scaling methodology enables us to experiment scaled-down plaster-rock structures rather than concrete structures. It is found that small-scale plaster-rock models, which can be prepared in much less time and at a lower cost, predict both local and global response behavior of the full-scale concrete structure with a high accuracy. Moreover, using the first-order finite similitude theory to take into account the elastic behavior and considering the scaled-down plaster-rock models as the second trial models, predictions of small-scale concrete models from the local response behavior of the full-scale model are significantly enhanced.