Stress-crack opening relationship of enhanced performance concrete

Abstract

Force-deflection responses obtained from three-point bending tests with notched beams of enhanced performance concrete were used to determine, by means of an inverse analysis, the stress at crack initiation, the shape of the stress-crack opening relationship and the fracture energy of this material. This inverse analysis was performed with non-linear finite element software where crack opening and crack propagation were simulated by discrete crack models using interface finite elements. The influence of both the concrete age and the percentage of binder replaced by fly-ash on the fracture parameters was analysed. In the present work, the numerical strategy is described, and the obtained results are presented and analysed.