The spalling strength of concrete is measured by examining the strain wave profiles in a polymer buffer bar behind the slender concrete bar specimen placed between a large diameter (Φ100 mm) Hopkinson bar and the buffer bar. The experimental results indicate that the spalling strength is related to not only the compressive strength of concrete but also the impact velocities (the loading rates). The rate effect of spalling strength mainly results from the different cracking paths in concrete under different impact velocities. However when the input compressive stress to specimen exceeds the threshold required to trigger the compressive damage, the spalling strength decreases due to the evolution and cumulation of compressive damage in concretes. The repeated impact loading experiments indicate that damage plays an important role in the spallation process of concrete. The high speed video of the spalling fracture process shows that multiple spalling fractures may occur in the scab and damage accumulation resulting from stress wave propagation in scab is the main reason for the producing of multiple spallations.

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