In order to obtain the tensile strength of the C40 concrete accurately, the comparative study between Brazilian disc splitting experiment and the direct tensile experiment is conducted with a self-modified tensile loading device. The study shows that the tensile strength observed from the direct tensile experiments (3.64MPa) is lower than that from the experiments (5.44MPa). A comprehensive analysis of experimental results is conducted focusing on the perspectives of the specimen failure forms, energy dissipation, the correlation of strength and hydrostatic pressure etc. The study suggests that the main reasons for the differences between Brazilian tensile experimental strength and direct tensile experimental strength include the surface energy required by the specimen destruction, the bond strength between the aggregate, the hydrostatic pressure in the process of loading and other factors.