The Effect of Plane - Stress and Plane - Strain Model to the Tensile Splitting Strength of the Concrete Cylinder and Paving Block

Abstract

Numerous experimental investigations have been conducted to analyze the tensile behavior of plain concrete. One of the most well-known methods, favored due to its ease in test set-up, is the cylindrical splitting test or the Brazilian test. Recently, attempts have been made to numerically simulate the concrete tensile behavior based on this splitting test method. Meanwhile, the question as to whether this case should be modeled as a plane-stress or plane-strain condition was looked into. The experimental testing was conducted in accordance to the ASTM C496. Additionally, paving blocks tested in accordance to the BS EN 1338:2003 standard based on the same principals as the Brazilian test, were performed. The specimens were simulated by a finite element program constructed in Visual Basic language. The load-displacement responses of the laboratory tested specimens, namely cylinders and paving blocks, functioned as a validation tool to the finite element program. Beside proving that the developed program was correct, it was also concluded that the plain-strain approach represented a better outcome to the cylinder splitting test, while the plain-stress mode provided a better characterization for the paving blocks.