Effects of Strain Rate on Tensile Behavior of Reactive Powder Concrete

Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) reinforced with short steel fibers is characterized by ultra-high strength and high fracture toughness. Because of its excellent properties, RPC may be suitable as an advanced material for reinforced concrete structures subjected to impact loading. Thus, the objective of this study was to find out the effects of strain rates on tensile behaviors of RPC specimens subjected to rapid loading. The influence of the loading rates on failure modes, tensile stress-elongation curves and tensile stress-crack opening curves was investigated. Furthermore, based on the test results, a rate-dependent bridging law expressing the relation between tensile stress and crack opening was proposed.