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Concrete is a porous material containing aggregate of different
ABSTRACT.
sizes, hardened cement matrix with air pores, microcracks and water.
Concrete internal structure is different from that of other engineering
materials. Furthermore concrete is described as quazi-brittle material. Fracture
processes in it form in a way that does not fit within classical theories.
Therefore, to describe failure of concrete structures nonlinear fracture
mechanics is often applied with success. Basic concrete parameters, like
compressive and tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity, are not enough to
analyze fracture processes in concrete structures. Additional fracture
properties should be tested, among them fracture energy, complete diagram
of stress-deformation under axial tension and the width of fracture process
zone. Recognizing and testing fracture parameters is of paramount
importance when analysing fracture process in concrete structures. The
correct data of material’s properties and the adequate fracture model applied
in numerical simulations influence final results. In the paper the findings
reported in the professional literature are summarized and obtained results of
the own numerical simulation are reported in order to give a deeper
knowledge on the role of aggregate on fracture properties of concrete
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