Papers by Author: Yu Zhu

Abstract: As cement-based composite, concrete can be properly represented by three phases in microstructure: cement paste, aggregate as well as interfacial transition zone between them. As the matrix compositions of concrete, fracture properties of cement paste and mortar have great influence on fracture performance of concrete, and fracture energy is an important parameter for concrete non-linear fracture mechanics research. Therefore, three-point bending beams of cement paste and mortar with different sizes and strengths were tested. A complete load-deflection (P-δ) curve was directly obtained, and a fit was made for the tail of the P-δ curve using power and exponential function, respectively. And then the fitting results of the two function were compared. It was found that with the increase of specimen size the influence of tail curve on fracture energy is decrease，and considering the influence of tail curve, fracture energy of cement paste and mortar are size-independent. The discussion on the obtained results was made.

Abstract: For micro-fiber reinforced strain-hardening cementitious materials, in addition to the basic characteristics and mechanical properties of fiber and interfacial properties between fiber and matrix, mechanical properties of matrix such as strength and crack resistance are essential parameters for material design, too. Therefore, the fracture properties of cement paste and mortar which are two most basal cementitious materials were studied, using three-point bending beams of which strength and depth are varied. Complete load versus crack mouth opening displacement (P-CMOD) curve directly obtained, and double-K fracture parameters ini Ic K and un Ic K were subsequently determined. The initial cracking load Pini was determined using resistant strain gauges. The results show that an apparent stable crack propagation before unstable failure was observed both in cement paste and in mortar. For cement paste, due to the influence of shrinkage crack, the divergence of the unstable fracture toughness un Ic K is more evident than initial fracture toughness ini Ic K .