Influence of strain rates and loading histories on the compressive damage behaviour of concrete

Abstract

Reported herein are the results of dynamic compressive tests of plain concrete specimens that were carried out with strain rates ranging from 10−5/s to 10−2/s. It is found that the compressive strength and the initial elastic modulus increase but the critical strain of concrete decreases with the increasing strain rate. The damage is defined as a reduction in the tangent modulus. The damage behaviours of concrete in the stress and strain space are investigated. Dynamic compressive load histories with different strain rates and different magnitudes are conducted on plain concrete specimens, and then the dynamic compressive damage tests of these specimens are also conducted. The effects of load histories on dynamic strain–strain curves, dynamic compressive strengths and the dynamic damage behaviour of concrete are studied.