Lecture No.

12
Concrete Properties Hardening and Setting- Part II

Concrete is a multiphase material containing cement paste (unhydrated and hydrated compounds), fluids, aggregates, discountinuities etc..

The overall mechanical and physical properties of such a composite system depend on the volume fractions and properties of various constituents , the mechanisms of interaction -whether mechanical, physical or chemical between the separate phases. Deformation and Failure Theory
Firstly lets consider the stresses and strains At a location in an element of material the generalised stress (strain) state in one, two or three dimensions comprising direct and shear stresses (strains) can be decomposed geometrically to a system of mutually perpendicular principal stresses (strains) 1 2 3 123 acting orthogonal to the principal planes on which the shear stresses(strains) are zero.

Since the 18th Century many theories and models have been proposed to explain or predict the deformation, fracture and failure of composite systems

Category 1 Predicts failure when a particular function of stress or strain reaches a critical value and have limited application to concrete. Category 2 Based on fundamental theories of physics and mechanics and allow evaluation of stresses and strains within composite materials and for different geometrical arrangements of homogeneous materials. Category 3 Assuming concrete to be a two-phase(matrix and aggregate) then its stiffness (Elastic Modulus E) can be calculated using models in which the matrix phase (Em) and aggregate phase (Ea) are arranged in various configurations and proportions. The upper bound model, in which both phases experience the same strain for this arrangement assuming zero Poissons ratio for the constituents, then

are the volume fractions of the matrix and aggregate respectively.

Category 4 based on the use of combinations of elements modelling stiffness (elastic springs), plasticity(yield stress) and viscosity (damper).

Category 5 based on statistical distribution of element properties are limited use for concrete as assumptions must be made before they can be applied.

Category 6 There is a large discrepancy between the theoretical strength of a brittle material ( as calculated from bonding forces between atoms) and its observed fractured strength. Theoretical calculations estimate gives values of 10x to 1000x than those determined experimentally. In 1920 Griffith explained the difference by presence of microscopic flaws or cracks that exist under normal conditions at the surface and within the interior of a body material, with each crack tip acting as a stress- raiser. During crack propagation there is a release of elastic strain engery

During crack propagation there is a release of elastic strain energy (some of the energy stored as the material is elastically deformed) and new free surfaces are created which increase the surface energy of the system. The critical stress for crack propagation can be calculated by

However for a heterogeneous material such as concrete the task is difficult as many cracks of different sizes, shapes and orientations either pre-exist or are formed under load . Solid particles of aggregates act both as crack arrestors and stress intensifiers.

John Newman Consider concrete as a thin plate : When stress is gradually increased to a certain level the stress and strain intensification near the crack tips causes small cracks to initiate to stabilize the system. This stage of the fracture process (Stage 1) has been termed stable fracture initiation Stage 2 : Further increases in stress causes the cracks to propagate in direction essentially parallel to the direction of the applied stress. Termed as stable fracture propagation Stage 3 : but when the stress is maintained constant propagation ceases. Termed as unstable fracture propagation

Most concretes can be simplified as two-phases materials in which stiffer and stronger particles are embedded in a softer and weaker matrix. For such materials experience has shown that most of the theories and models do not adequately explain or predict the behaviour but can help in understanding of stresses induced within a composite material under load. In normal practice it is best to test the concrete and fit the results to relationships which have been derived on the basis of a knowledge of fundamental material behaviour.

Deformation of Concrete
Stress Strain relationships for a typical concrete subjected to short term uniaxial compressive loading to ultimate loading

Although the axial and lateral relationships appear linear up to 40 to 60 % of ultimate strength they are not strictly linear. Unlike steel, concrete has no readily identifiable elastic limit and for simplicity engineers refer to the tangent and secant elastic modulus for design purposes.

Modulus of Elasticity E- Value E- Value is the ratio between stress and strain The stress-strain relationship is non-linear and the material is strictly nonelastic. Therefore 3 types of E-value are used, namely secant modulus, tangent modulus and initial tangent modulus.

The secant and tangent moduli can be determined from the stress-strain relationship from a short term static test in which a specimen is loaded in uniaxial compression. The E-value of concrete is influenced generally by the same factors as strength and relationship between strength and E-Value for normal density of concrete is

Poissons Ratio For uniaxial loading Poissons ratio (v) is the ratio between the strain in the loading direction and that in the unloading direction. It is determined from static tests. For most concretes v lies within the range 0.15 to 0.2 for loading upto about 60% ultimate strength.