Testing concrete in tension and in compression

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Abstract
Summary The paper describes a new uniaxial tension test for concrete, in which the specimen is gripped by friction. The specimens are plain concrete prisms of 4 or 6 in. (10 or 15 cm) square cross-section, and the minimum length requirement permits the use of the standard flexure specimens of B.S. 1881. The test is evaluated in terms of the stress distribution, fracture distribution and eccentricity in the specimen. The standard compression tests are criticized, and an uncapped specimen of height/width ratio 2·5 is advocated. The influence of mix parameters upon the ratio of uniaxial tensile strength to compressive strength is illustrated, and it is concluded that the estimation of tensile strength from compression tests is unreliable. The indirect tensile or splitting strength and the uniaxial tensile strength are shown to differ considerably, the magnitude of the difference being very dependent upon mix parameters. Several factors are discussed which explain the variable difference between the two strengths, and it is concluded that the indirect tension test is not a simple accurate method of ascertaining the tensile strength of concrete.

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