Damage mechanism of SCC under cyclic loading with different speed

•The effect of loading rate on concrete behavior is greater before the peak.•Changing cyclic loading rate would cause a corresponding change in SCC cracking.•During creep cyclic loading, the stress–strain diagram undergoes great changes.•Concrete demonstrates different behaviors under cyclic loading with different rate.

In this experimental research, the effects of cyclic loading at different frequencies on self-compacting concrete were studied. 108 standard cylindrical specimens and 120 cubic specimens were tested. The specimens had compressive strengths of approximately 25 MPa, 35 MPa and 45 MPa. The rate of loading was studied in the 0.05–250 KN/s range. The results showed that the behavior of concrete before and after peak loading depended on the number of loadings as well as the loading rate. Failure of concrete under periodic loading at high frequencies led to increased micro cracks in a direction perpendicular to that of the principal cracks.