Abstract
The new method to determine the tension softening curve of concrete has been proposed in this study. To solve the problems included in the modified J-integral based method, the release of an elastic energy has been considered quantitatively based on the unloading and reloading experiment of notched beams subjected to a concentrated load. In addition, based on the measurement for the distribution of fictitious crack width of a notched beam, the propagation of the fictitious crack has been evaluated quantitatively. The new method in which these new findings are incorporated has been applied to estimate the tension softening curve of various concretes and the validity of this method has been confirmed experimentally.
