Fracture Mechanics when Studying the Long-Term Strength of Concrete

Abstract

The results of experimental and theoretical studies of the process of destruction of concrete by the methods of fracture mechanics are considered. Results of studies of long-term strength, durability and deformability of concrete subjected to a preliminary short-term temperature action up to 300° C and 400° C under load and without load are presented. It is shown that after short-term heating up to 300о С the long-term strength of concrete decreases insignificantly. It is established that heating up to 400° C can be considered the boundary of the structural integrity of concrete. The conditions for using the results of these studies in determining the values of a function that characterizes the change in the long-term strength of a material in the mechanics of heterogeneous structures are formulated. The function of the material destruction measure is introduced to describe the nature of the structural changes in the material at a given constant continuous load, and its change for different levels of a continuous load is considered.