Fracture Properties of FRC Determined through Inverse Analysis of Wedge Splitting and Three-Point Bending Tests

Abstract

Fracture properties of five different steel fibre-reinforced concretes have been determined, using the wedge splitting test method (WST) and three-point bending tests (3PBT). Furthermore, for the WST method, two different specimen sizes have been investigated. Through inverse analyses, stress-crack opening (σ-w) relationships have been determined for each mix and test method. Results from this investigation demonstrate the applicability of the WST method, show that inverse analysis can be used to determine stress-crack opening relationships, and the result demonstrate the effect of increased fibre content and the w/b-ratio. The major factor contributing to the differences in the determined stress-crack opening relationships is believed to be related to the variation in the number of fibres across the fracture plane. However, taking this into consideration, the inverse analyses indicate no systematic differences in the determined parameters between two WST specimen sizes, while the 3PBT seems to give slightly higher post-cracking stresses.