Experimental, theoretical and numerical studies on plain concrete fracture in the low-strain rate regime—A state-of-the-art review

Abstract

A comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art experimental, theoretical and numerical methods that aid understanding and predicting the quasi-brittle fracture behavior of plain concrete under quasi-static conditions is presented in this work. The main objectives of this paper are as follows: (a) to lay-out a systematic manner for experimental and modeling people to select their choice of a concrete fracture simulating tool, (b) to critically describe the advantages and disadvantages of conducting different experimental set-ups for researchers intending to perform their own experiments for model validation, and (c) to provide modelers with a one-stop-shop for experimental data on plain concrete. In this review paper, the general characteristics of crack propagation in concrete are also presented. Extensive literature on the experimental studies of mode I and mixed-mode quasi-brittle fracture in concrete is discussed. The two main features of numerical modeling of concrete fracture, which are the descriptions of strain-softening and nonlocal regularization, are reviewed, and the application of these features to the various damage models is discussed. The survey of numerical models covered in this paper range from continuum-based to discrete formulations. We also provide a critical discourse on the advantages and disadvantages of the discussed experimental and numerical tools used for studying and modeling concrete fracture, and this is succinctly presented in Tables 2 and 3, respectively. Finally, future considerations of the experimental, theoretical and numerical studies in concrete fracture are presented.