Fracture Process Zone of Concrete Cracks

Abstract

Finite element models of crack‐line wedge‐loaded, double cantilever beam (CLWL‐DCB) fracture specimens were used in their generation mode to evaluate the crack tip opening displacements (CTOD) associated with a fracture process zone preceding the macrocrack tip in such specimens. The crack tip locations of the macrocrack and the fracture process zone were determined experimentally and used as input conditions for these generation analyses. The crack opening resistance along the process zone was then adjusted to achieve consistency in the computed CTOD. This modified finite element model was then used with reasonable success in the propagation analysis of stable crack growth in concrete CLWL‐DCB fracture specimens.