Shear strength of bonded concrete-granite joints under constant normal stress conditions

Abstract

The shear behaviour of bonded concrete-granite joints under constant normal stress conditions is experimentally investigated in this paper. Concrete was prepared following standard mix used in pre-existing dams in France and poured on granite samples with a natural surface roughness. Before the direct shear tests, the joint surfaces were scanned by a laser profilometer to obtain the 3D morphology features. By analysing the shear test results, no direct correlations were found between the shear strength of bonded joints and classical roughness parameter.