Stress Distribution Characteristics of Modeled Recycled Aggregate Concrete Under Uniaxial Compression

Abstract:

Based on the mechanical properties of each material phase in recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), a two dimensional modeled RAC was built, and the stress distribution characteristics of the modeled RAC under uniaxial compressive were obtained by meso level numerical analysis. A parametric analysis was conducted to investigate the sensitivity of the stress distribution of the modeled RAC, which focused on different mechanical parameters of natural aggregate, interfacial transition zone (ITZ) and old hardened mortar. Results show that a concentration of tensile stress and shear stress produces at new and old interfacial transition zones between the natural aggregates. The higher elastic modulus of natural aggregates are, the higher the magnitude of stress concentration is, and the higher elastic modulus of the interfacial transition are, the lower the magnitude of stress concentration is. Whereas the effects of the elastic modulus of old hardened mortar on stress concentration are not evident.

Key words:modeled recycled aggregate concrete; meso level; interfacial transition zone; old hardened mortar; finite element analysis