Dynamic biaxial tensile–compressive strength and failure criterion of plain concrete

Dynamic biaxial tensile–compressive tests have been performed on dog-bone-shaped specimens of plain concrete under different tensile stresses and different strain rates, 100 mm × 100 mm × 100 mm cubic specimens have been adopted in the tests of dynamic uniaxial compression. All tests have been performed by using the large static–dynamic true triaxial test machine. In the compressive direction, the friction-reducing pads have been used, which are made of three layers of plastic membrane with glycerin in-between. In the tensile direction, four bolts have been used to connect the specimen and loading head at the both ends of the specimen. The dynamic tensile–compressive strength, dynamic uniaxial compressive strength and dynamic ultimate compressive strain have been obtained in the paper. The failure modes of specimens have been described. The influences of strain rates and lateral tensile stresses have been discussed. The experimental results have been compared with the results of previous references, in which dynamic splitting tensile tests have been performed under the constant lateral compressive stress. By fitting the experimental data, the dynamic tensile–compressive failure criterion of plain concrete has been established. The dynamic failure criterion can provide the basis for analyzing concrete structural performances under dynamic tensile–compressive load.

► In the strain rate range 10−5–10−2/s, the dynamic tensile–compressive strength and ultimate compressive strain were obtained.
► The tensile–compressive failure modes were described.
► In the strain rate range 10−5–10−2/s, the dynamic tensile–compressive failure criterion was established by fitting the testing data.