Materials, Vol. 12, Pages 1938: Impact Compression Test and Numerical Simulation Analysis of Concrete after Thermal Treatment in Complex Stress State (Materials)

To study the dynamic mechanical properties and fracture law of concrete after thermal treatment and reveal its mechanism, the impact compression test was carried out on different thermal-treated (400–800 °C) concrete specimens using a split Hopkinson pressure bas (SHPB) system. By using ANSYS/LS-DYNA, the finite element numerical simulation of the test process was illustrated. The research showed that under passive confining pressure, the more the loading rate is increased, the more obvious the effect of the passive confining pressure on the concrete specimen, as well as the more significant the improvement of the peak stress compared with the uniaxial test. On the other hand, as the temperature damage effect is enhanced, the increase in the material strength at different loading rates is reduced. Numerical simulations showed that in a uniaxial test, as the impact rate increases, the crack initiation time advances, and the degree of fracture increases at the same rate as that of the loading time. In the case of confining pressure, the stress gradually decreases to the edge from the center, and has a significant circumferential diffusion characteristic. The circumferential restraint of the passive confining pressure limits the radial deformation ability of the material to a certain extent, thereby increasing the axial compressive strength. In the analysis of the crushing process of concrete specimens, it was found that the fracture form showed a strong rate dependence. When the loading rate is low, the fracture form is a cleavage-like failure. As the loading rate increases, the fracture form changes to crush failure. The research results provide the necessary theoretical basis for the safety assessment, reinforcement, and maintenance of concrete structures after fire.