Experimental Investigation and Constitutive Modeling of Polymer Concrete and Sand Interface

Abstract

In this investigation, the behavior of the interface between polymer concrete and sand was studied. For this purpose, two sets of interface direct shear tests (over 40 tests) were conducted on the polymer concrete and sand interface. Moreover, two sets of tests (over 30 tests) were performed on the cement concrete and sand interface for comparison. Based on the experiments, the shear stress versus tangential displacement curves at different normal stresses, the interface friction angles, and the adhesion were obtained for each interface. Then, three different constitutive models proposed for interfaces were used to predict the observed response. Finally, after a quantitative comparison of the constitutive models, a pile in tension was modeled using the most accurate model for its interfacial behavior. The results of the proposed model were in excellent accordance with experimental data, and the results of pile modeling in tension showed the applicability of the model and obtained parameters.