Fracture Mechanics Of Concrete

FRACTURE MECHANICS OF CONCRETE AND ROCK This book offers engineers a unique opportunity to learn, frominternationally recognized leaders in their field, about the latesttheoretical advances in fracture mechanics in concrete, reinforcedconcrete structures, and rock. At the same time, it functions as asuperb, graduate-level introduction to fracture mechanics conceptsand analytical techniques. Reviews, in depth, the basic theory behind fracture mechanics * Covers the application of fracture mechanics to compressionfailure, creep, fatigue, torsion, and other advanced topics * Extremely well researched, applies experimental evidence ofdamage to a wide range of design cases * Supplies all relevant formulas for stress intensity * Covers state-of-the-art linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM)techniques for analyzing deformations and cracking * Describes nonlinear fracture mechanics (NLFM) and the latestRILEM modeling techniques for testing nonlinear quasi-brittlematerials * And much more Over the past few years, researchers employing techniques borrowedfrom fracture mechanics have made many groundbreaking discoveriesconcerning the causes and effects of cracking, damage, andfractures of plain and reinforced concrete structures and rock.This, in turn, has resulted in the further development andrefinement of fracture mechanics concepts and tools. Yet, despitethe field's growth and the growing conviction that fracturemechanics is indispensable to an understanding of material andstructural failure, there continues to be a surprising shortage oftextbooks and professional references on the subject. Written by two of the foremost names in the field, FractureMechanics of Concrete fills that gap. The most comprehensive bookever written on the subject, it consolidates the latest theoreticalresearch from around the world in a single reference that can beused by students and professionals alike. Fracture Mechanics of Concrete is divided into two sections. In thefirst, the authors lay the necessary groundwork with an in-depthreview of fundamental principles. In the second section, theauthors vividly demonstrate how fracture mechanics has beensuccessfully applied to failures occurring in a wide array ofdesign cases. Key topics covered in these sections include: * State-of-the-art linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM)techniques for analyzing deformations and cracking * Nonlinear fracture mechanics (NLFM) and the latest RILEM modelingtechniques for testing nonlinear quasi-brittle materials * The use of R-Curves to describe cracking and fracture inquasi-brittle materials * The application of fracture mechanics to compression failure,creep, fatigue, torsion, and other advanced topics The most timely, comprehensive, and authoritative book on thesubject currently available, Fracture Mechanics of Concrete is botha complete instructional tool for academics and students instructural and geotechnical engineering courses, and anindispensable working resource for practicing engineers.

In this volume on the mechanics of fracture of Portland cement concrete, the general theme is the connection between microstructural phenomena and macroscopic models. The issues addressed include techniques for observation over a wide range of scales, the influence of .microcracking on common measures of strength and de formability , and ultimately, the relationship between microstructural changes in concrete under load and its resistance to cracking. It is now commonly accepted that, in past attempts to force-fit the behavior of concrete into the rules of linear elastic fracture mechanics, proper attention has not been paid to scale effects. Clearly, the relationships among specimen size, crack length and opening, and characteristic material fabric dimensions have been, in comparison to their counterparts in metals, ceramics, and rocks, abused in concrete. Without a fundamental understanding of these relationships, additional testing in search of the elusive, single measure of fracture toughness has spawned additional confusion and frustration. No one is in a better position to document this observation than Professor Mindess.

Concrete has traditionally been known as a material used widely in the construction of roads, bridges and buildings. Since cost effectiveness has always been one of the more important aspects of design, concrete, when reinforced and/or prestressed, is finding more use in other areas of application such as floating marine structures, storage tanks, nuclear vessel containments and a host of other structures. Because of the demand for concrete to operate under different loading and environmen tal conditions, increasing attention has been paid to study concrete specimens and structure behavior. A subject of major concern is how the localized segregation of the constituents in concrete would affect its global behavior. The degree of nonhomogeneity due to material property and damage. by yielding and/or cracking depends on the size scale and loading rate under consideration. Segregation or clustering of aggregates at the macroscopic level will affect specimen behavior to a larger degree than it would to a large structure such as a dam. Hence, a knowledge of concrete behavior over a wide range of scale is desired. The parameters governing micro-and macro-cracking and the techniques for evaluating and observing the damage in concrete need to be better understood. This volume is intended to be an attempt in this direction. The application of Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics to concrete is discussed in several of the chapters.

This conference is the first in a series of conferences dedicated to Fracture Mechanics of Concrete Structures. Due to the recent explosion of interest in research on fracture in concrete, the conference has brought together the world's leading researchers in fracture of concrete and this book contains the proceedings.