Mechanical Behavior of Reactive Powder Concrete Subjected to Biaxial Loading

To investigate the biaxial mechanical characteristics of reactive powder concrete (RPC), RPC plate specimens and bone-shaped specimens were tested under compression-compression and compression-tension loadings, respectively. The strengths and strains of the specimens were recorded, and the crack patterns and failure modes in various stress states were examined. Based on the test data, the characteristics of biaxial strength were analyzed, and a biaxial failure criterion was established. The characteristics of major stress-strain curves and failure modes in different biaxial stress states were determined. The results show that the ratio between the biaxial compression strength and the uniaxial compression strength was 1.44–1.58 for RPC. When the stress ratio under compression-tension was −0.05, the tensile strength decreased by 48%. Under compression-compression, the proportional limit of RPC was about 95%, and its peak strain was high. Under compression-tension, as the compressive stress increased, the elastic modulus decreased, and the peak strain in the tensile direction increased. When the RPC specimens were under compression-compression, the failure mode of RPC was splitting failure. Under compression-tension, the failure mode changed from single-crack tensile failure to multicrack compressive failure with increasing confining stress.

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