A novel indirect tensile test method to measure the biaxial tensile strength of concretes and other quasibrittle materials

A novel indirect tensile test method, the biaxial flexure test (BFT) method, has been developed to measure the biaxial tensile strength of concretes. The classical modulus of rupture (MOR) test has been generalized to three dimensions. In this method, we use a circular plate as the new test specimen. This plate is supported by an annular ring. We apply an external load to this specimen through a circular edge. The centers of the specimen, the loading device and the support are identical. The biaxial tensile strength measured by this new method is about 19% greater than the uniaxial tensile strength obtained from the classical modulus of rupture test as reported by other researchers. However, at the same time, we also found that the stochastic deviation of the biaxial tensile strength is about 63% greater than the uniaxial strength. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.