Abstract
Relation of fracture process zone to tension softening behavior of concrete has been studied using an acoustic emission (AE) source location technique and a simulation of tension softening behavior in double cantilever beam specimens. AE source distribution along ligament at three loading levels and visible cracks on the surfaces of specimens were related to tension softening phase simulated by means of a fictitious crack model. The results indicate that the beginning of descending branch in tension softening diagram corresponds to micro crack localization and extension and that the tail of tension softening is attributed to the bridging mechanism at the interface between the matrix and aggregates.
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