Cement Fracture

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete
Fracture Mechanics
Fracture mechanics for concrete can be a useful

tool for the designer because of the insight it
provides on size effects, that is, how the size of
a structural element will affect the ultimate load
capacity.
Fracture mechanics also provides powerful
criteria for the prediction of crack propagation.
P.K. Mehta and P.J.M. Monteiro, Concrete: Microstructure, Properties, and Materials
Fracture Mechanics
Linear elastic fracture mechanics theory was
developed in 1920, but not until 1961 was the
first experimental research in concrete performed.
Fracture mechanics was used successfully in
design for metallic and brittle materials early on;
however comparatively few applications were
found for concrete.
This trend continued up until the middle 70s
when finally major advances were made.
Fracture Mechanics
In the 80s and 90s intensive research has been

performed and applications of fracture mechanics
in design of beams, anchorage and large dams
are becoming more common.
Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics
Griffith is often regarded as the founder of

fracture mechanics.
He observed experimentally that small
imperfections have a much less damaging effect
on the material properties than the large
imperfections.
Griffith suggested an energy balance approach
based not only on the potential energy of the
external loads and on the stored elastic strain
energy but also on another energy term: the
surface energy.
Crack in a plate
Crack in a plate
Griffith used a result obtained by Inglis that the
change in strain energy due to an elliptical crack
in an uniformly stressed plate is a 2 2 E and
therefore the change in potential energy of the
external load is twice as much .
The change of energy of the plate due to the
introduction of the crack is given by:
U cracked Uuncracked =
2 a2 2
E
a2 2
E
+ 4 a
Crack in a plate
Minimizing the energy in relation to the crack
length,
a 2 2
+ 4 a = 0
a
E
gives the critical stress (for plane stress):
2 E
a
Importance of the equation

This equation is significant because it relates the
size of the imperfection (2a) to the tensile
strength of the material.
It predicts that small imperfections are less
damaging than large imperfections, as observed
experimentally.
Critical energy release rate

Irwin proposed that instead of using the
thermodynamic surface energy, one should
measure the characteristic surface energy of a
material in a fracture test.
He introduced the quantity Gc as the work
required to produce a unit increase in crack area.
Gc is also referred to as the critical energy
release rate.
Gc is determined experimentally, normally using
simple specimen configuration.
Critical energy release rate

The energy release per unit increase crack area, G,
is computed; if the energy release rate is lower
than the critical energy release rate (G < Gc ) the
crack is stable.
Conversely, if G> Gc, the crack propagates.
In the case when the energy release rate is equal
to the critical energy release rate (G=Gc), a
metastable equilibrium is obtained.
Computation of G
Considering a plate with thickness B, the energy released by crack growth
GBa = Px U e
U e is the change in elastic energy due to crack growth
GB = P
dx dU e
da da
Ue
Introducing the compliance c = x/P
the strain energy is given by
U e =
cP 2
2
d (cP) d (cP 2 / 2)
GB = P
da
da
P 2 dc
G=
2 B da
Example: Double cantilever beam with thickness B
Computation of G
The deflection of each cantilever
Pa 3
=
2 3EI
I=
1 h 3
b( )
12 2
The compliance is given by
2a 3
c= =
P 3EI
Therefore the energy release rate is given by
P 2 dc P 2 a 2
G=
=
2 B da BEI
Stability criteria
A crack is stable if the derivative of the strain

energy rate, with respect to crack length is
negative.
1 G
<0
G a
For load control (double cantiliver specimen)
G 2 P 2 a
=
a
BEI
(1/G )(G /a ) = 2a
is a positive number, therefore the crack will propagate in an unstable way.
For displacement control
9 EI
G=
4
4a B
G
9 EI 2
= 5
a
a B
so
(1/G )(G /a ) = 4 /a
is a negative number, therefore, the crack will propagate in a stable manner.
Modes
Mode I: opening or tensile mode,

Mode II: sliding or in-plane shear mode
Mode III: tearing or antiplane shear mode.
Modes
Stresses at the tip of the crack for mode I
3
y =
cos 1+sin sin
2 r
2
2
2
KI
x =
cos 1 sin sin
2 r
2
2
2
KI
3
xy =
sin cos cos
2 r
2
2
2
KI
Stress-intensity factor
KI is called stress-intensity factor for Mode I.
Dimensional analysis of indicates that the stressintensity factor must be linearly related to stress
and to the square root of a characteristic length.
Assuming that this characteristic length is
associated with the crack length:
K I = a f (g )
Fracture toughness
Suppose we measure the value of the stress at

fracture in a given test.
Using the previous equations, we determine the
critical stress intensity factor, Kc, or fracture
toughness as it is usually called in the literature.
Concrete Fracture Mechanics

The first experimental research on fracture
mechanics of concrete was performed by Kaplan
in 1961.
Importance of Size Effect
pc =
Kc
a f ( a /b )
pt = f t (1 ba )
Brittleness number
Characterize the nature of the collapse; the lower
the brittleness number the more brittle the
behavior of the specimen.
Fracture occurs in specimens with a small
brittleness number, that is, for materials with a
comparatively low fracture toughness, a high
tensile strength, and in large specimens.
s = K c /f t b
Mesh sensitivity
Crack propagation in concrete
Courtesy from Prof. Nemati

Crack propagation in concrete
Courtesy from Prof. Nemati


Two simplifying assumptions for the strain in the fracture zone
Fictitious Crack Model

The fictitious crack model was created and
expanded upon by Hillerborg, Petersson, and coworkers.
One of the objectives of the model is to capture
the complex nature of concrete in tension.
The amount of microcracking in concrete, which is
in tension, is small before the peak stress is
reached, therefore, the deformation along the
specimen can be assumed to be uniform, and the
total elongation of the specimen can be
expressed in terms of the length of the specimen
l = l

A localized fracture zone starts to develop just
after the peak load is reached.
In the model, this zone is assumed to form
simultaneously across an entire cross section.
As the total elongation increases, the stress
decreases and the region outside the fracture
zone experiences an unloading, while inside the
fracture zone, there is softening.

The fracture zone remains localized and does not
spread along the specimen, this is called strain
localization, somewhat akin to that seen in
plasticity. Beyond the peak stress, the total
elongation of the specimen is the sum of the
uniform deformation outside the fracture zone
and the additional localized deformation
l = l + w

Two relationships are needed to characterize the
mechanical behavior of concrete in tension: (1) a
stress-strain relationship for the region outside
the fracture zone, and (2) a stress-elongation
relationship for the fracture zone.
Fracture energy
The fracture energy is equal to the area under the
stress-elongation curve.
G f = ( w)dw
0
Experimental Results
CEB-FIP model code 1990
G f = f ( f cm /f cmo )
0.7
dmax
f (Nmm / mm2)
0.02
16
0.03
32
0.05
Slopes
The stress-strain and stress-elongation curves are
related in the following manner: the slope of the
stress-strain diagram is E, and the slope of the
stress-deformation curve is proportional to
f t /(G f /f t )
Characteristic length
The ratio between the two slopes has units of
length called the characteristic length of the
material:
lch =
EG f
ft
Characteristic length
The characteristic length is often considered to be
a material property, and it gives a measure of the
brittleness of the material.
Cement paste has a characteristic length in the
range 5-15 mm, mortar in the range 100-200
mm, and concrete 200-400 mm.
Compared to normal-strength concrete, highstrength concretes and light-weight aggregate
concrete have lower characteristic lengths.
CEB-FIP model code 1990
ct = Ec ct
for ct 0.9 f ctm
0.1 f ctm
(0.00015 ct ) for 0.9 f ctm ct f ctm
ct = f ctm
0.00015 (0.9 f ctm /Ec )
For cracked section:
w
ct = f ctm (1 0.85 ) for 0.15 f ctm ct f ctm
w1
ct =
w1 =
0.15 f ctm
( wc w) for 0 ct 0.15 f ctm
wc w1
2G f
f ctm
0.15wc and wc = F
Gf
f ctm

Stress-strain and stress-elongation for concrete in uniaxial tension

Cement Fracture

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Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture mechanics for concrete can be a useful

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

In the 80s and 90s intensive research has been

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics

Griffith is often regarded as the founder of

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

gives the critical stress (for plane stress):

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Importance of the equation

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Critical energy release rate

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Critical energy release rate

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Introducing the compliance c = x/P

the strain energy is given by

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Example: Double cantilever beam with thickness B

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

The compliance is given by

Therefore the energy release rate is given by

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

A crack is stable if the derivative of the strain

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

For load control (double cantiliver specimen)

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

For displacement control

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Mode I: opening or tensile mode,

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Stresses at the tip of the crack for mode I

cos 1 sin sin

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Suppose we measure the value of the stress at

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Concrete Fracture Mechanics

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Importance of Size Effect

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Crack propagation in concrete

Courtesy from Prof. Nemati

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Crack propagation in concrete

Courtesy from Prof. Nemati

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fictitious Crack Model

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fictitious Crack Model

Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

Fictitious Crack Model