T-stress of Concrete under Four-point Bending

Abstract

Mixed mode stress-intensity factors (SIFs) and the T-stress for different geometries of four-point bending specimens were calculated by means of finite element analysis through a software suite Abaqus, where the influence of the loading point and crack location were considered. The fracture properties, K I , K II and T-stress expressions for four-point bending were constructed based on pure bending and pure shear by means of finite element calculation. The results reveal that considerable values of the T-stress exist with different combinations of K I and K II , and the stress biaxiality factor B varies, including its magnitude and sign, along with the change in geometry size.