Techno Press
You logged in as. Techno Press

Structural Engineering and Mechanics
  Volume 66, Number 4, May25 2018 , pages 445-452
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/sem.2018.66.4.445
 


Investigation of the model scale and particle size effects on the point load index and tensile strength of concrete using particle flow code
Hadi Haeri, Vahab Sarfarazi, Zheming Zhu, Ahmadreza Hedayat and Mohammad Fatehi Marji

 
Abstract
    In this paper the effects of particle size and model scale of concrete have been investigated on point load index, tensile strength, and the failure processes using a PFC2D numerical modeling study. Circular and semi-circular specimens of concrete were numerically modeled using the same particle size, 0.27 mm, but with different model diameters of 75 mm, 54 mm, 25 mm, and 12.5 mm. In addition, circular and semi-circular models with the diameter of 27 mm and particle sizes of 0.27 mm, 0.47 mm, 0.67 mm, 0.87 mm, 1.07 mm, and 1.27 mm were simulated to determine whether they can match the experimental observations from point load and Brazilian tests. The numerical modeling results show that the failure patterns are influenced by the model scale and particle size, as expected. Both Is(50) and Brazilian tensile strength values increased as the model diameter and particle sizes increased. The ratio of Brazilian tensile strength to Is(50) showed a reduction as the particle size increased but did not change with the increase in the model scale.
 
Key Words
    model scale; particle size; point load test; Brazilian test; PFC2D
 
Address
Hadi Haeri and Zheming Zhu: College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
Vahab Sarfarazi: Department of Mining Engineering, Hamedan University of Technology, Hamedan, Iran
Ahmadreza Hedayat: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, United States
Mohammad Fatehi Marji: Associate Professor, Department of Mining Engineering, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
 

Techno-Press: Publishers of international journals and conference proceedings.       Copyright © 2025 Techno Press
P.O. Box 33, Yuseong, Daejeon 305-600 Korea, Tel: +82-42-828-7996, Fax : +82-42-828-7997, Email: admin@techno-press.com