Effective Young's modulus estimation of concrete

Abstract

A two-step analytical procedure is proposed to evaluate the quantitative influence of the maximum aggregate size and aggregate gradation on the effective Young's modulus of concrete. In the first step, the effective Young's modulus of a specified “basic element,” which is composed of an aggregate coated with interfacial transition zone and again covered with cement paste, is obtained based on a proposed four-phase sphere model. The theory of elasticity and Eshelby's equivalent medium theory are used to achieve the goal. In the second step, the rule of mixture method is used to estimate the effective Young's modulus of concrete. Following the two-step procedure, the maximum aggregate size and aggregate gradation are included in the formulations for the effective Young's modulus of concrete. The calculated results are compared with experimental results from the literature. The comparison results show a reasonable agreement when isostrain is assumed for every basic element in the second step. Parameters influencing the effective Young's modulus of concrete are discussed via calculated results