Title:
A New Strength Criterion for Concrete
Author(s):
Sau-Cheong Fan and Fang Wang
Publication:
Structural Journal
Volume:
99
Issue:
3
Appears on pages(s):
317-326
Keywords:
concrete; strength; test.
DOI:
10.14359/11915
Date:
5/1/2002
Abstract:
A new strength criterion is presented that defines the general ultimate stress capacity of concrete. Two forms of the strength criterion are described. The first one is based on the Unified Twin-Shear Strength (UTSS) theory with quadratic meridians. The second one is in a semitheoretical form that combines UTSS theory with the empirical meridian curves. In the latter form, the shape function in the deviatoric plane is piecewise linear in line with the UTSS theory. The tensile and compressive meridians in the redulic plane adopt the potential formulations of Guo, Wang, and Zhang. Its geometrical representation in the principal stress space captures most of the failure characteristics of concrete, such as convexity, open-endedness, and three-fold symmetry about the hydrostatic axis. Comparisons with other prevailing concrete strength criteria as well as experimental results show that the proposed criterion yields reasonably accurate predictions for the strength of concrete. Construction of the proposed criterion requires only one parameter, the uniaxial compressive strength fc . When other material parameters are available, the error bound can be narrowed and the accuracy will be improved. The proposed criterion refers to the second form of the strength criterion. A linear interpolating shape function in the deviatoric plane, which is the generalization of the UTSS theory, is also suggested for all types of materials.