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Designing concrete mixtures for strength, elastic modulus and fracture energy

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Abstract

There are many methods for determining a concrete mix proportion when the compressive strength is the design criterion; however, there is much less information available when other criteria, such as the fracture energy or the elastic modulus, are specified. For these cases, a new mix design nomogram has been developed from well-established concrete relationships. The application of this method is demonstrated by an experimental programme which shows the influence of cement content, water-to-cement ratio and aggregate-to-cement ratio on the compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, spliting tensile strength, fracture energy, and characteristic length of concrete. Six concrete mixtures with different water-to-cement ratios and workabilities were studied. The mix design nomogram, besides being a tool for the practitioner, can also help the researcher in selecting the most adequate mix parameters for experimental and scientific purposes. It is noted that when studying the effect of mix parameters on the properties of concrete certain constraints should be used: for instance when varying the water-to-cement ratio, the workability of fresh concrete should be kept constant and vice versa.

Resume

Il existe plusieurs méthodes de détermination du dosage d'un béton quand la résistance à la compression est prise comme critère de calcul; toutefois, on dispose de nettement moins de données quand il s'agit d'autres critères, tels l'énergie de rupture ou le module d'élasticité. Pour ces derniers cas, on a développé un nouveau nomogramme de formulation à partir des relations connues du béton.

L'application de cette méthode est démontrée par un programme expérimental qui montre l'influence de la teneur en ciment, des rapports eau/ciment et granulat/ciment sur la résistance à la compression, le module d'élasticité et la résistance à la traction par fendage, l'énergie de rupture et la longueur caractéristique du béton. On a étudié six mélanges de béton présentant des rapports eau/ciment et une ouvrabilité différents.

Outre qu'il est un outil pour le praticien, le nomogramme de formulation peut aussi aider le chercheur à sélectionner les paramètres de dosage les mieux appropriés à des buts expérimentaux et scientifiques. On remarque que certaines contraintes devraient être observées quand on étudie l'effect des paramètres de dosage sur les propriétés du béton.

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Abbreviations

E c :

Modulus of elasticity (GPa)

C :

Cement content (kg m−3)

G F :

Fracture energy (N m−1)

f c :

Compressive strength (MPa)

f t :

Splitting tensile strength (MPa)

l ch :

Characteristic length (mm) given byEG F/f 21

m :

Aggregate-to-cement ratio, by weight (kg kg−1)

w/c :

Water-to-cement ratio, by weight (kg kg−1)

k 1,k 2,k 3,k 4 :

Constants which depend on the materials used

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, 94720, CA, USA

    P. J. M. Monteiro

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Escola Politécnica EPUSP-PCC, University of São Paulo, 05508, SP, Brazil

    P. R. L. Helene

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, Dougshin University, 520-514, Naju, Korea

    S. H. Kang

Authors
  1. P. J. M. Monteiro
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  2. P. R. L. Helene
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  3. S. H. Kang
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Monteiro, P.J.M., Helene, P.R.L. & Kang, S.H. Designing concrete mixtures for strength, elastic modulus and fracture energy. Materials and Structures 26, 443–452 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02472804

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02472804

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