abstract: Laboratory assessment of crack resistance and propagation in asphalt concrete is a difficult task that challenges researchers and engineers. Several fracture mechanics based laboratory tests currently exist; however, these tests and subsequent analysis methods rely on elastic behavior assumptions and do not consider the time-dependent nature of asphalt concrete. The C* Line Integral test has shown promise to capture crack resistance and propagation within asphalt concrete. In addition, the fracture mechanics based C* parameter considers the time-dependent creep behavior of the materials. However, previous research was limited and lacked standardized test procedure and detailed data analysis methods were not fully presented. This dissertation describes the development and refinement of the C* Fracture Test (CFT) based on concepts of the C* line integral test. The CFT is a promising test to assess crack propagation and fracture resistance especially in modified mixtures. A detailed CFT test protocol was developed based on a laboratory study of different specimen sizes and test conditions. CFT numerical simulations agreed with laboratory results and indicated that the maximum horizontal tensile stress (Mode I) occurs at the crack tip but diminishes at longer crack lengths when shear stress (Mode II) becomes present. Using CFT test results and the principles of time-temperature superposition, a crack growth rate master curve was successfully developed to describe crack growth over a range of test temperatures. This master curve can be applied to pavement design and analysis to describe crack propagation as a function of traffic conditions and pavement temperatures. Several plant mixtures were subjected to the CFT and results showed differences in resistance to crack propagation, especially when comparing an asphalt rubber mixture to a conventional one. Results indicated that crack propagation is ideally captured within a given range of dynamic modulus values. Crack growth rates and C* prediction models were successfully developed for all unmodified mixtures in the CFT database. These models can be used to predict creep crack propagation and the C* parameter when laboratory testing is not feasible. Finally, a conceptual approach to incorporate crack growth rate and the C* parameter into pavement design and analysis was presented. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering 2013

The objective of this study is to evaluate the bond durability of an epoxy-based polymer concrete wearing surface bonded to aluminum bridge decks. In the bridge design, an aluminum alloy bridge deck is used with a polymer concrete wearing surface. A modified mixed mode flexure fracture test was developed to assess the bond durability of specimens aged in the following environmental conditionings: 30°C [86°F], 98% RH; 45°C [113°F], 98% RH; 60°C [140°F], 98% RH; freezing and thawing; salt (NaCl) water soak; and 60°C [140°F], dry. The exposure times varied from none to twelve months. The critical strain energy release rate (Gc) of the bond was determined using a compliance technique. In spite of considerable scatter in the data, the results suggested that the interfacial bond toughness had been degraded by exposure conditions. The aging appeared to affect the polymer concrete overlay (silica aggregates/epoxy bond) as well. Fracture analysis and finite element modeling were completed for linear elastic behavior. Analytical and numerical solutions were in reasonably good agreement. Characterization of the bridge components and failure specimens were accomplished using analytical measurements including thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Techniques employed in the surface analysis included x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). / Master of Science

No description available.

Dans cette thèse, j’ai conçu un nouveau test de rupture adapté à l’étude des matériaux fragiles sur une grande gamme de vitesse de fissure. Il a été mis en œuvre sur le PMMA, permettant de caractériser la transition entre un régime de rupture à grande vitesse v>vc=15 mms-1 avec des faciès optiquement plats et un autre régime pour v<vc avec une rugosité caractérisée par des motifs triangulaires. L’étude de la déformation du front dans le plan moyen de fissuration montre que le matériau est plus tenace à l’intérieur de ces triangles qu’à l’extérieur. Qui plus est, ces triangles sont décorés par de petits motifs en forme de toit d’usine, caractéristiques de l’instabilité de fragmentation sous mode I+III. Pour comprendre l’émergence de ces formes, nous revisitons tout d’abord les modèles de fragmentation en supposant que l’énergie de rupture dépend du cisaillement comme Gc(KIII/KI)=GcI[1+ (KIII/KI)2]. Le seuil de fragmentation (KIII/KI)thc ainsi prédit décroit significativement, réconciliant théorie et expérience. Le motifs triangulaires permettant de mesurer le paramètre exp à partir de la déformée du front et le degré de cisaillement (KIII/KI)exp par l’inclinaison des facettes qui est compatible avec la valeur de seuil prédite (KIII/KI)thc. A partir des valeurs exp et (KIII/KI)thc ainsi déterminées, nous prédisons que les facettes dérivent le long du front avec un angle compatible avec celui formé par les triangles. Cette compréhension fine de ces motifs nous permet donc de mettre en relation la transition rugueuse observée dans le PMMA avec l’instabilité de fragmentation et ouvre de nouvelles perspectives pour la compréhension de motifs similaires dans d’autres matériaux. / During this PhD thesis, a new fracture test geometry is designed for the accurate measurement of the fracture properties of brittle solids, subsequently applied to study failure in PMMA. At high crack speeds, their fracture surfaces are optically smooth. But below vc = 15 mms-1, a transition to rough surfaces occurs through the formation of puzzling triangular patterns. These patterns lead to significant toughening of the material that reflects through the pinned shape of the crack front as it crosses triangles. In addition, these triangles are found to be decorated by faceted features reminiscent of the crack front fragmentation instability in mode I+III. Assuming a shear-dependent fracture energy Gc(KIII/KI) = GcI[1+ (KIII/KI)2] we theoretically predict a fragmentation threshold (KIII/KI)thc that can be as low as a few percent while earlier models (that assumes = 0) predict a much larger value, inconsistent with various experimental observations. Applied to our experiments, this model allows us to measure exp from the deformation amplitude of the pinned front and the amount of applied shear (KIII/KI)exp from the facet inclination which is found to be compatible with the theoretically predicted threshold (KIII/KI)thc . Using the values (KIII/KI)exp and exp thus determined, one finally predict a drift of the facets from the propagation direction accounting for the triangle angle observed experimentally. To conclude, our study shows that the roughening transition in PMMA is a signature of front fragmentation under mode I+III. As a result, deciphering the triangular patterns at the transition led to significant improvements in the understanding of this instability.

In this thesis, a program for fracture test in civil engineering has been optimized. The simulation is used for a validation of the fracture characteristics for blocks of construct material used for historic buildings reconstructure. This thesis illustrates the possibilities of an effective usage of the processor’s potential without the loss of the output quality. The individual parts of the simulation are analyzed and this thesis proposes for the critical sections some possible optimizations such as vectorization or parallel processing. The techniques used in this thesis may be used on similar computing problems and help shorten the required runtime. The prototype of the simulation was able to process the simulation in 7.7 hours. Optimized version is capable to process the same simulation in 2.1 hours on one core or 21 minutes on eight cores. The parallel optimized version is 21 times faster than the prototype.

No description available.

No description available.

In September 2000 the DAfStb issued a technical recommendation for the experimental assessment of structural safety and usability of concrete structures. By now, the influence of pavement or floor layers and of other factors on the load carrying capacity is not known exactly. In this thesis, it has been investigated how road pavements, the geometry and bridge caps reduce the actions on concrete bridge structures and how these influences should be taken into account in the experimental evaluation of the bending capacity by an additional test load increment. In co-operation with a local authority in Stralsund, Germany, comprehensive loading test could be performed at an abandoned concrete bridge with prefabricated girders. Between loading cycles, the pavement has been stepwise disassembled. In addition, the ultimate load of the structure as well as of an individual girder has been determined in fracture tests. By means of a hybrid analysis, i.e. a numerical simulation supported by experimental data, the influences of the pavement layers have been determined. These results were verified by experimental observations obtained in past bridge tests. The influence of the pavement layers on the load carrying capacity appeared to be as high as 28% at the maximum for the bridges investigated. Since the loading vehicle BELFA has been completed in March 2001, test loads can be applied now self-securing to bridges in the so-called large load circuit, i.e. the structure is loaded including supports and foundation. The technical concept, the principle and possible applications of the BELFA are described. The results presented will allow to determine the additional test load increment for compensating the influence of pavement layers, structural geometry and bridge caps in future experimental safety evaluations. For this analysis, the exact geometry of the structure, the thickness of the pavement layers as well as their material properties, especially the modulus of elasticity, have to be known. Guidelines for the analysis procedure as well as for simplifying assumptions are given. / Experimentelle Nachweise der Tragsicherheit und Gebrauchstauglichkeit von Betonbauwerken sind seit September 2000 in einer DAfStb-Richtlinie geregelt. Der Einfluss mittragender Aufbauschichten und anderer Faktoren war bisher quantitativ unbekannt. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde untersucht, wie Straßenbeläge, Bauwerksgeometrie und Kappen die Beanspruchung der Tragkonstruktion von Massivbrücken mindern und im experimentellen Nachweis der Biegetragsicherheit durch eine Überlast zu berücksichtigen sind. In Zusammenarbeit mit dem Straßenbauamt Stralsund konnten an einer Fertigteilträgerbrücke Belastungsversuche mit sukzessivem Rückbau des Fahrbahnaufbaus sowie Bruchversuche am Gesamtsystem und an ausgebauten Fertigteilträgern mit Ortbetonergänzung erfolgen. Mit Hilfe der hybriden Statik, also der Modifikation und Evaluation von Rechnungen anhand experimentell erlangter Messwerte, wurden die Einflüsse der Aufbauschichten quantifiziert und durch Auswertung weiterer Brückenbelastungsversuche verifiziert. Der Einfluss der Aufbauschichten betrug bei den untersuchten Brücken bis zu 28%. Seit der Inbetriebnahme des Belastungsfahrzeuges BELFA im März 2001 können Versuchlasten auch im großen Kräftekreislauf, d.h. am Gesamtsystem einschließlich Auflager- und Gründungssituation, selbstsichernd aufgebracht werden. Die Entwicklung des BELFA, seine Funktionsweise und seine Einsatzmöglichkeiten werden erläutert. Mit den Ergebnissen dieser Arbeit ist es zukünftig möglich, die notwendige Überlast bei Belastungsversuchen zur Kompensation der Einflüsse aus Straßenbelag, Bauwerksgeometrie und Kappen mit genauem Aufmaß der Bauwerksgeometrie und der Schichtdicken sowie mit ingenieurmäßigem Abschätzen der Materialkennwerte (E-Moduli) hinreichend genau zu bestimmen. Handlungsempfehlungen geben Hinweise zur generellen Vorgehensweise sowie für vereinfachte Rechenannahmen.

The interface between aggregate grains and matrix in cementitious composites is their weakest element. The topic is particularly significant in the case of high performance and high strength concrete technology for which the eliminination or reduction of these weak links are necessary. The aim of this thesis is to determine the influence of the interface on the fracture behaviour of the cementitious composites. The fracture experiments were performed for this purpose and were complemented by the nanoindentation’s results and scanning electron microscopy results. Numerical model was created in ANSYS software on the basis of these data and the fracture toughness values of the interface were evaluated by means of the generalized fracture mechanics principles. Conclusion of the thesis is proof that the interface properties have a significant influence on the fracture behaviour of cementitious composites.

The diploma thesis deals with selected fracture tests and evaluation of fracture parameters of cement-based composite. One part of the thesis deals with cement-based composite with glass spherical aggregate of a single fraction of 2 mm. After production, the beams with dimensions of 20×40×200mm exposed to temperatures in the range from 100 to 1000 °C for one hour. Using the non-destructive ultrasonic pulse method, the degree of damage caused by termal load was determined. Selected specimen with central edge notch were then tested in three-point bending and fragments after these tests were tested in compression. In the second part, attention was paid to the evaluation of fracture tests conducted on specimen from drill-cores taken from selected objects located at the former Transgas Gas Control Center in Prague. The specimen were provided with a chevron notch before being tested in three-point bending. The measured data was modified by the GTDiPS program and in the case of the glass composite the StiCrack program was used to evaluate fracture parameters.