Overview of Topics

Stress-Strain Behavior in Concrete

EARLY AGE CONCRETE
Plastic shrinkage shrinkage strain associated with early moisture
loss
Thermal shrinkage shrinkage strain associated with cooling

Dr. Kimberly Kurtis

School of Civil Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, Georgia

Elastic Behavior

LATER AGE CONCRETE

Drying shrinkage -shrinkage strain associated with moisture loss in
the hardened material
Deformations occur under loading
- Elastic
- Viscoelastic

Non-Linear Inelastic Behavior

Under loading, concrete

deforms in a non-linear, inelastic
manner
However, an estimate of E is
useful for determining stresses
induced when strain is produced
is very small (e.g., by
environmental effects)

Elastic Modulus
Initial Tangent Modulus/Dynamic
Modulus - slope of the tangent to
the curve at the origin (D)
Tangent Modulus slope of a line
drawn tangent to curve at any
point (T)
Secant Modulus slope of line drawn
from the origin to a point on the
curve, usually corresponding to
0.40 ultimate stress (S)
Chord modulus slope of the line
drawn between 2 points, one of
which corresponds to 50
microstrain and the other
generally occurs at 0.40 ultimate
stress (C)

Stress Distribution
Concrete is highly heterogeneous
Localized stress/strain can be quite different from nominal
applied stress/strain

Largest strains often occur at the interface -> microcracking

Stress Distribution
For Eagg>Epaste,
(1) Tensile bond failure
(2) Shear bond failure
(3) Tensile matrix failure
(4) Occasional aggregate
failure

Elastic Modulus: Two Phase Models

Vc=vol concrete
Ec=E concrete
Ep=E cement paste Vp=vol paste
Va=vol agg
Ea=E agg

K=bulk modulus
G=shear modulus

Elastic Modulus: Three Phase Models

Stress Distribution
Paste shows more
ductility

Paste shows broader

high stress region

Due to stress
concentrations and
heterogeneity of
concrete

Elastic Modulus: Two Phase Models

Hirsch, Counto,
and H-S models
give fairly good
representations of
E in most
concrete
Deviations from
actual behavior
are believed to be
due to ITZ effects

Elastic Modulus: Three Phase Models

Ec=E concrete
Ep=E cement paste
Ea=E agg
Ei=E ITZ

Vc=vol concrete
Vp=vol paste
Va=vol agg
Vi=vol ITZ

K=bulk modulus
G=shear modulus
Need K,G for agg, paste, and ITZ
tr= ratio of ITZ thickness to the equivalent
radius of the nominally spherical inclusions

Estimations of E

Estimations of E: High Strength Concrete

ACI 318 gives equations to estimate E from compressive

strength and unit weight:
Ec = 33 wc1.5 fc0.5
Ec = elastic modulus of concrete, psi
W = unit weight, pcf
fc =28d compressive strength of standard cylinders

Valid to at least 6000 psi (perhaps to as high as 9000 psi)

The unit weight is used to account for the presence and
density of the aggregate

Eagg is rarely known and this is a useful way to include its

effect in E

For normal weight concrete (145pcf), this reduces to

Ec = 57000 fc0.5

Estimations of E: High Strength

Ec = 33 wc1.5 fc0.5 may
underestimate E for high
strength concrete

Estimations of E: High Strength

Best fit, Ec in psi:
Ec=w2.55fc0.315

ACI 363 also gives an

equation for high
strength concrete:
Ec = 40000fc0.5 + (1x106)
For fc 3000-12000 psi
With Ec expressed in psi

Measurements of E
ASTM C469 Measures E
and Poissons ratio
Measure fc
Load to 0.40fc
Measured by
compression loading of
6x12 cylinders 30-40
psi/sec
Measure longitudinal
and lateral strains
Take average of chord
moduli of 2nd and 3rd
curves

Measurement of E

Poissons Ratio

Dynamic E

Poissons Ratio - ratio of lateral strain to axial strain

Not typically required for design
Measured by compression loading of 6x12 cylinders 30-40
psi/sec
0.15-0.20 typical
no consistent relationship with mixture design or material
properties
however, it is generally higher in high strength concrete,
saturated concrete (0.2-0.3 is typical), and dynamically loaded
concrete

Dynamic Modulus of Elasticity (initial tangent modulus) initial

slope of stress-strain curve; corresponds to very small
instantaneous strain; important for earthquake loading
A measure of the vibration of a specimen in response to a
small applied load
No microcracking; No creep -> it is usually, 20-40% higher
than chord modulus
Can be estimated by:
Ec = 0.83Ed

Dynamic E

Can be measured by sonic techniques, (e.g., resonant frequency method, ACI

215)

Because Ed is very sensitive to microcracking, measurements of changes in Ed

can be used to monitor damage by physical and chemical attack

For a long prism or rod composed of an isotropic, homogeneous, perfectly

elastic material, the resonant frequency of vibration, N, may be calculated from

N=
where m is the mass of the rod

m 2 k(E d)0.5
2L2

The equipment essentially is composed of a generator of mechanical vibrations and a sensor of

mechanical vibrations.
The generator consists of an oscillator which produces electrical audio-frequency voltages and an
amplifier.
A driver converts the amplified voltages into mechanical vibrations that are applied to the specimen.
The pick up circuit consists of a sensor, amplifier, and indicator, but may also include an
oscilloscope.
A piezoelectric transducer acts as the sensor and converts the mechanical vibrations to an electrical
AC voltage of the same frequency. These voltages are amplified and are read by a needle on an
indicator.
The resonant frequency is determined by measuring the frequency at which the needle experiences
maximum deflection. An oscilloscope provides additional information and can be used to verify that
the fundamental modes of the specimen has been reached.

k is the radius of gyration of the section about an axis perpendicular to the plane of bending
(k=t/(12) 0.5 for a rectangular cross section of thickness, t),
E is the dynamic modulus of elasticity
d is the density of the material
L is the length of the specimen

va ria b le
fre qu e nc y
o s c illa t o r

a m p lif ie r
d riv e r

in d ic a t o r

Resonant Frequency
Performed in the longitudinal and transverse directions
From the fundamental transverse frequency n (Hz), the dynamic modulus of
elasticity can be obtained from:
Dynamic E = CWn2
where W is the weight of the specimen (lb.) and
C=0.00245(L3T/bt3)
(s2/in2)
for a prism, where L is the specimen length (in)
b and t are the specimen cross sectional measurements, t being in the direction in
which the specimen is driven
T is a correction factor related to K/L where K is the radius of gyration of the prism.

a m p lif ie r

Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity

From the fundamental longitudinal frequency n (Hz), the dynamic modulus of elasticity
can be obtained from:
Dynamic E =DW(n)2
Where, for a prism,
D=0.01035(L/bt) (s2/in2)
For 4.5x3.5x16 specimens,
C=0.0472 s2/in2
D=0.0105 s2/in2

s p e c im e n
L=1 6.0"

The relationship can be extended to heterogeneous materials when the sample

dimensions are considered to be large in relation to the size of the variations in
the material.

p ic k- u p

t =3.5 "
o s c illo s c o p e

ASTM C597
Measures time for an ultrasonic wave
to pass through concrete
Related to age, moisture condition,
agg/cement ratio, type of aggregate,
location of reinforcement, degree of
cracking, presence of voids,
homogeneity
Can be used to assess changes in
properties due to damage (such as
fire)
Estimation of strength and elastic
modulus are more difficult.
In a homogeneous, elastic and
isotropic material the square of the
wave velocity (V2)is related to E, but
concrete does not fit those criteria

Direct

Semidirect

Indirect

w=4 .5 "

E in Flexure

Factors Affecting E

Flexural modulus of elasticity measured by a center-point

flexure test
E = PL3/(48Iy)
P = load
L = span length
I = moment of inertia
y = midspan deflection

Important property for rigid pavements

Aggregate
Aggregate acts to restrain matrix
strains; Eagg is important
dense agg, higher E
More porous agg, lower E
granite, basalt 10-20x106 psi
sandstone, limestone 3-7x106 psi
Lightweight aggregate 1-4 x106 psi

Aggregate
As MSA, shape, surface texture, gradation, and mineralogical
composition all influence microcracking in the ITZ, these will
each influence the slope of the stress-strain curve.

In lightweight concrete, E is more likely to be

affected by aggregate choice than fc

HCP
Epaste is related to its porosity
Values of 1-4 x 106 psi have been reported
Epaste is related to w/c, air content, use of mineral admixtures,

Testing Parameters
When tested wet E is ~15% higher than when dry
(remember that the fc was 15% lower when tested wet)
Why?

and degree of cement hydration, degree of curing

Drying of concrete has different effects on paste and ITZ

The properties of the ITZ can have a strong influence on E

microcracking, increased porosity, and aligned, large
hydration products

On drying, paste will gain strength because of strengthening

of VDW bonds in the C-S-H

ITZ microcracking will progress on drying (one explanation)

Testing Parameters
Load Rate
At faster load rates, less time for deformation, higher E
For very slow load rates, also get creep effects, and E will be
lower.