Abstract
This study aims to characterize both experimentally and numerically the flexural behavior of two different locally sourced granular materials stabilized with 3% general purpose (GP) cement. The four-point bending test was conducted on the compacted cement-stabilized beam specimens at various curing ages ranging from 7 to 90 days. The obtained experimental results elucidated both an exponential relation between curing period and flexural strength and a logarithmic relation between ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and flexural strength for the cemented granular materials (CGMs) tested in this study. It was found that the rate of gain in flexural strength during the first 28 days is distinctly higher than that of during the subsequent 62 days. Taking into consideration the practical aspects of road operation, it is proposed that the flexural properties of CGMs, such as flexural strength, should be determined at 28 days curing age for use in pavement structural designs. In conjunction with the experimental study, a three-dimensional finite-element model of a four-point bending specimen was developed to simulate the flexural behavior of CGMs under static monotonic loading. The microplane model M7 was then implemented using commercially available software, and its parameters were calibrated (only two parameters of the model M7 were adjusted from their reference value) using the experimental flexural stress-strain response of CGMs at a 7-day curing age. The calibrated model M7 was then used to predict the flexural behavior of both CGMs at 28 and 90 day curing ages. Numerical simulations using the calibrated model M7 were shown to agree well with the flexural behavior of CGMs in experiments. This shows the capability of the calibrated microplane model M7 in simulating the flexural behavior of CGMs at various curing ages using minimum constitutive parameters.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 06018030 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs |
|
| Publication status | Published - 1 Mar 2019 |
Keywords
- Cement-stabilized pavement materials
- Finite-element analysis
- Flexural beam testing
- Flexural failure
- Microplane model M7
- Ultrasonic pulse velocity
Cite this
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Experimental and numerical investigation of flexural behavior of cemented granular materials. / Sounthararajah, Arooran; Kodikara, Jayantha; Nguyen, Nhu; Bui, Ha Hong.
In: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, Vol. 31, No. 3, 06018030, 01.03.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Experimental and numerical investigation of flexural behavior of cemented granular materials
AU - Sounthararajah, Arooran
AU - Kodikara, Jayantha
AU - Nguyen, Nhu
AU - Bui, Ha Hong
PY - 2019/3/1
Y1 - 2019/3/1
N2 - This study aims to characterize both experimentally and numerically the flexural behavior of two different locally sourced granular materials stabilized with 3% general purpose (GP) cement. The four-point bending test was conducted on the compacted cement-stabilized beam specimens at various curing ages ranging from 7 to 90 days. The obtained experimental results elucidated both an exponential relation between curing period and flexural strength and a logarithmic relation between ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and flexural strength for the cemented granular materials (CGMs) tested in this study. It was found that the rate of gain in flexural strength during the first 28 days is distinctly higher than that of during the subsequent 62 days. Taking into consideration the practical aspects of road operation, it is proposed that the flexural properties of CGMs, such as flexural strength, should be determined at 28 days curing age for use in pavement structural designs. In conjunction with the experimental study, a three-dimensional finite-element model of a four-point bending specimen was developed to simulate the flexural behavior of CGMs under static monotonic loading. The microplane model M7 was then implemented using commercially available software, and its parameters were calibrated (only two parameters of the model M7 were adjusted from their reference value) using the experimental flexural stress-strain response of CGMs at a 7-day curing age. The calibrated model M7 was then used to predict the flexural behavior of both CGMs at 28 and 90 day curing ages. Numerical simulations using the calibrated model M7 were shown to agree well with the flexural behavior of CGMs in experiments. This shows the capability of the calibrated microplane model M7 in simulating the flexural behavior of CGMs at various curing ages using minimum constitutive parameters.
AB - This study aims to characterize both experimentally and numerically the flexural behavior of two different locally sourced granular materials stabilized with 3% general purpose (GP) cement. The four-point bending test was conducted on the compacted cement-stabilized beam specimens at various curing ages ranging from 7 to 90 days. The obtained experimental results elucidated both an exponential relation between curing period and flexural strength and a logarithmic relation between ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and flexural strength for the cemented granular materials (CGMs) tested in this study. It was found that the rate of gain in flexural strength during the first 28 days is distinctly higher than that of during the subsequent 62 days. Taking into consideration the practical aspects of road operation, it is proposed that the flexural properties of CGMs, such as flexural strength, should be determined at 28 days curing age for use in pavement structural designs. In conjunction with the experimental study, a three-dimensional finite-element model of a four-point bending specimen was developed to simulate the flexural behavior of CGMs under static monotonic loading. The microplane model M7 was then implemented using commercially available software, and its parameters were calibrated (only two parameters of the model M7 were adjusted from their reference value) using the experimental flexural stress-strain response of CGMs at a 7-day curing age. The calibrated model M7 was then used to predict the flexural behavior of both CGMs at 28 and 90 day curing ages. Numerical simulations using the calibrated model M7 were shown to agree well with the flexural behavior of CGMs in experiments. This shows the capability of the calibrated microplane model M7 in simulating the flexural behavior of CGMs at various curing ages using minimum constitutive parameters.
KW - Cement-stabilized pavement materials
KW - Finite-element analysis
KW - Flexural beam testing
KW - Flexural failure
KW - Microplane model M7
KW - Ultrasonic pulse velocity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85059530625&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002630
DO - 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002630
M3 - Comment / Debate
VL - 31
JO - Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
JF - Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
SN - 0899-1561
IS - 3
M1 - 06018030
ER -