Dynamic properties of concrete materials under shock loading

This paper presents a simple experimental method in determining the dynamic properties of concrete materials. The specimen used in the experiment was assembled with four disks, one of which was made from aluminum, the others concrete samples. Three manganin piezoresistive gauges were embedded in between the disks, from which pressure waves were recorded. The impact load was produced by using a light-gas gun. From the recorded pressure waves, stress, strain and particle velocity in the tested specimen were calculated. The experimental results showed that the peak pressure of the shock wave decreased exponentially with the propagation distance of the shock wave, whereas the width of the shock wave increased with propagation distance. The attenuation coefficient describing the peak pressure decay in a specimen was found to be close for specimens under different impact velocities and thus can be used to represent the viscosity of the concrete material.

► A novel dynamic impact test was described for concrete materials.
► The viscosity of the concrete materials was demonstrated and analysed.
► Dynamic stress–strain curves were obtained from tests using Lagrangian analysis method.
► Hysteresis nature of the stress–strain curves were found from tested concrete specimens.