Fracture behaviors of HVFA-SCC mixed with seawater and sea-sand under three-point bending

This paper aims to study the fracture behaviors of high-volume fly ash-self-compacting concrete (HVFA-SCC) mixed with seawater and sea-sand (SWSS) or freshwater and river sand (FWRS). Three-point bending test were performed on 24 notched beams fabricated with varying in replacement ratio of fly ash (0%, 30%, 50%, and 70%) and the type of water and sand (SWSS and FWRS). The initial and unstable fracture toughness of these test specimens are determined by the double- K fracture model. The effect of fly ash replacement ratio and type of water and sand on the fracture parameters is analyzed and discussed. In addition, the cohesive fracture toughness of all the test specimens is calculated by using Gauss–Chebyshev integral method and the weight function method based on the bilinear tensile softening curve given in CEP-FIP Model Code. A comparison of fracture toughness parameters of determined from the experimental approach and analytical approaches is presented in these SCC specimens. Results show that SCC mixed with SWSS replacing FWRS can improve the unstable fracture toughness and fracture energy, and decrease its brittleness behavior. The cohesive fracture toughness of SWSS-SCC specimens is underestimated by these analytical methods based on the tensile softening curve given in CEP-FIP Model Code.

Analysis of Tensile Strength and Failure Mechanism Based on Parallel Homogenization Model for Recycled Concrete

In this paper, a parallel homogenization model for recycled concrete was proposed. A new type of finite element method, the base force element method, based on the complementary energy principle and the parallel homogenization model, is used to conduct meso-level damage research on recycled concrete. The stress–strain softening curve and failure mechanism of the recycled concrete under uniaxial compression load are analyzed using the nonlinear damage analysis program of the base force element method based on the parallel homogenization model. The tensile strength and destructive mechanisms of recycled concrete materials are studied using this parallel homogenization model. The calculation results are compared with the results of the experiments and meso-level random aggregate model analysis methods. The research results show that this parallel homogenization analysis method can be used to analyze the nonlinear damage analysis of recycled concrete materials. The tensile strength, stress–strain softening curve, and crack propagation process of recycled concrete materials can be obtained using the present method.

Research on softening curve of recycled concrete using base force element method in meso-level

Purpose Based on the base force element method, a two-dimensional random circle aggregate model with Monte Carlo principle is proposed to carry out research on softening curve in meso-level. Design/methodology/approach The meso-level structure of recycled concrete is considered as the five-phase materials composed of aggregate, old interfacial transition zone, old mortar, new interfacial transition zone and new mortar. A multi-polyline damage model is adopted to describe the nonlinear mechanical behavior of recycled concrete material. The destruction state of the element is determined by the first strength theory. The research studies on damage process of recycled concrete under the loading conditions of uniaxial tension were established using the base force element method. Findings The softening curves of recycled concrete are obtained, which are in good agreement with experiment results. Simulation results show that the macroscopic mechanical properties and failure mechanism can analyze more reasonably from mesoscopic structure. Besides that, it can be investigated from the numerical results of the size effect in recycled concrete through the mesoscopic heterogeneity. Furthermore, the form of aggregate distribution has influence on the crack path but little effect on the tensile strength of recycled concrete. Originality/value The results show that the base force element method has been successfully applied to the study of softening curve of recycled concrete under uniaxial tension.

Bake Precipitation Behavior in AA5182 Sheet for Can End Stock

By means of Vickers hardness tester, optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmitted electron microscope (HRTEM), the bake softening and precipitation behaviors of AA5182 H19 sheet for can end stock at 205°C and 249°C were investigated. All specimens at both temperatures showed recovery and bake softening phenomenon, which meaning the dislocation density and HV decreased. However, the specimens baked at 205°C showed higher recovery impediment, because the bake softening curve departed from the dynamic laws when it had less amount of recovery than the specimens baked at 249°C. The hardness was higher for the specimen baked at 205°C compared with the specimen baked at 249°C, even both specimens had the same dislocation density measured by XRD. Further observations revealed that the precipitated particles in the specimens baked at 205°C distributed along the shear bands. The precipitates were needle shape with the length of 5-15 nm and the width of 5-10 atom layers, which occurred mostly in the area with higher dislocation density. These precipitates were guessed to be Al-Mg binary phases, which could contribute to the higher hardness of the specimens baked at 205°C.

Engineering models for softening and relaxation of Gr. 91 steel in creep-fatigue conditions

Purpose There are a number of different approaches for calculating creep-fatigue (CF) damage for design, such as the French nuclear code RCC-MRx, the American ASME III NH and the British R5 assessment code. To acquire estimates for the CF damage, that are not overly conservative, both the cyclic material softening/hardening and the potential changes in relaxation behavior have to be considered. The data presented here and models are an initial glimpse of the ongoing European FP7 project MATISSE effort to model the softening and relaxation behavior of Grade 91 steel under CF loading. The resulting models are used for calculating the relaxed stress at arbitrary location in the material cyclic softening curve. The initial test results show that softening of the material is not always detrimental. The initial model development and the pre-assessment of the MATISSE data show that the relaxed stress can be robustly predicted with hold time, strain range and the cyclic life fraction as the main input parameters. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Engineering models have been developed for predicting cyclic softening and relaxation for Gr. 91 steel at 550 and 600°C. Findings A simple engineering model can adequately predict the low cycle fatigue (LCF) and CF softening rates of Gr. 91 steel. Also a simple relaxation model was successfully defined for predicting relaxed stress of both virgin and cyclically softened material. Research limitations/implications The data are not yet complete and the models will be updated when the complete set of data in the MATISSE project is available. Practical implications The models described can be used for predicting P91 material softening in an arbitrary location (n/Nf0) of the LCF and CF cyclic life. Also the relaxed stress in the softened material can be estimated. Originality/value The models are simple in nature but are able to estimate both material softening and relaxation in arbitrary location of the softening curve. This is the first time the Wilshire methodology has been applied on cyclic relaxation data.