Ayşegül Durmuş Demir
Hatice SÜLEYMANOĞLU
Abstract
Although the compressive strength is often regarded as the primary mechanical property of concrete, it is crucial to acknowledge the significance of tensile strength in concrete design, experimental analysis, and numerical modeling. Until now, indirect methods have been employed to measure the tensile strength of concrete. Despite their widespread acceptance, they do not provide an accurate representation of the actual tensile strength of concrete. In this study, a new approach to determine concrete tensile strength is introduced. A hollow block-shaped specimen and a pull by push loading apparatus that allows to use conventional compression machine were designed. A parametric study was performed with the ANSYS commercial program, which is based on the finite element method, to determine the ideal geometry and size of the proposed specimen. In order to serve as a reference, a numerical model of the direct tensile strength test was also performed. This study, demonstrated an ideal specimen that exhibits a stress distribution along the sample that is closer to the tensile strength of concrete compared to direct tensile testing, while also providing a more uniform stress distribution. However, the recommended test method should also be experimentally validated.
Keywords
Indirect test, Direct test , Tensile strength, Concrete , Finite element method.
