Papers Published

1. Petroski, H. J. and Ojdrovic, R. P., CONCRETE CYLINDER: STRESS ANALYSIS AND FAILURE MODES., International Journal of Fracture, vol. 34 no. 4 (1987), pp. 263 - 279 .
   (last updated on 2007/04/09)

   Abstract:
   The rationale for using the circular cylindrical specimen for determining the tensile strength of concrete is reviewed, and the stress fields and fracture modes associated with the familiar splitting test and a pressurized cylinder test are discussed. The effect of a macrocrack on the stress field within a cylinder is introduced as a means of understanding the progressive fracture of a cylindrical specimen. In particular, it is argued that, while the idealized stress field in an unflawed cylinder may explain how and where the first macrocrack develops in a cylindrical specimen, it is the stress field modified by the presence of the macrocrack that must be considered to understand subsequent behavior. The axial tensile failure of a concrete cylinder loaded by radial pressure is also considered in the context of classical elastic stress analysis. We demonstrate that the induced tensile stress field is indeed of sufficient magnitude to explain the axial failure under radial pressure by an elementary strength of materials argument.

   Keywords:
   CONCRETE TESTING - Pressure Effects;STRESSES - Analysis;FAILURE ANALYSIS;