Abstract:Based on uniaxial compressive dynamic mechanical experimental tests of confined recycled aggregate concrete (CRAC), the influence of strain rate effect on mechanical performance of CRAC was comprehensively investigated. The dynamic failure pattern and the experimental complete curves of uniaxial compressive stressstrain of RAC subjected to dynamic loading with different strain rates were analyzed. It is found that for the uniaxial CRAC curves of strainstrain relationship, at various strain rates, replacement ratios of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) or volume stirrup ratios, the feature of the ascending branch is basically consistent. However, the descending branch exhibits some differences. With the increase of the strain rate or the replacement ratio of RCA, the descending branch changes in a steepening trend. However, with the increase of the volume stirrup ratio, the descending branch changes obviously in a flattening trend. Through regression analysis of experimental test data, models of the dynamic increase factor (DIF) for the compressive peak stress and the peak strain were proposed, respectively. With increasing amplitude of strain rate, the compressive peak stress and peak strain of CRAC increases. However, the increasing trend of DIF for the compressive peak strain is smaller than that of the compressive peak stress. The influence of strain rate on the initial elastic modulus of CRAC was also investigated, and the relationship between the initial elastic modulus and the strain rate was determined based on the experimental data. Furthermore, the model of the DIF of the initial elastic modulus of CRAC was established. It is concluded that the DIF of the initial elastic modulus of CRAC increases at dynamic loading with increasing amplitude of strain rate, however, the increasing trend is smaller than that of the compressive peak stress, as well as that of the compressive peak strain.