Experimental and modeling study of dynamic mechanical properties of cement paste, mortar and concrete

Understanding the strain rate effects on cement-based materials are important for accurately modeling concrete structure damage to high-velocity impact and blast loads. This paper reports experimental results of the strain rate effect on paste, mortar and concrete. A pulse-shaped split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) was employed to determine the dynamic compressive mechanical responses and failure behavior of paste, mortar and concrete under valid dynamic testing conditions. Quasi-static experiments were conducted to study material strain rate sensitivity. Strain rate sensitivity of the materials is measured in terms of the stress–strain curve, elastic modulus, compressive strength and critical strain at peak stress. Empirical relations of dynamic increase factor (DIF) for the material properties are derived and presented. A compressive constitutive model with strain rate and damage effects was modified to accurately describe the dynamic compressive stress–strain curves of the materials.