Fracture characteristics of concrete subjected to impact loading

This paper takes concrete as a four-phase composite made of the intact matrix and three mutually perpendicular groups of penny-shaped micro-cracks. The intact matrix is assumed to be elastic, homogeneous and isotropic, and the micro-cracks are penny-shaped. Combined with the failure mechanism of concrete subjected to impact loading, a dynamic constitutive model for concrete is developed based on Mori-Tanaka's average stress concept and Eshelby's equivalent inclusion theory. Experimental results show that concrete is rate-dependent. The model predictions are in good agreement with the experimental results. The model may be used to simulate the mechanical behavior of concrete under impact loadings.