Some aspects of tensile fracture behaviour and structural response of cementitious materials

Abstract: This report deals with stability and validity analyses of direct tension tests, and an investigation into structural behaviour of various materials in tensile fracture. The influence of rotation in damage zone on the stress-deformation curve is investigated. The role of rotation stiffness of testing set-ups for a stable tension test is analysed. The bump effect, i.e. steep stress drops in stress-deformation curves, is studied. The theoretical analyses agree with experimental observations. A number of tests, with both statically determinate and indeterminate specimens, are performed to investigate tensile fracture behaviour of various materials, from brittle to tough. Compared to the experimental results, the FCM model seems able to yield proper predictions.