Evaluation of splitting tensile and compressive strength relationship of self-compacting concrete

Abstract

Research findings have reported a behavioural relationship between the splitting tensile strength and compressive strength of concretes. This work studied both the experimental and analytical relationships that exist between splitting tensile strength and compressive strength of both vibrated concrete (VC) and self compacting concrete (SCC) of similar grades. Both concrete types were designed to achieve target compressive strength of 20 N/mm2, 30 N/mm2 and 40 N/mm2 at 28 days. The compressive and splitting tensile properties were measured on cylindrical concrete specimens of 150 mm diameter × 300 mm length at 28-days using a compression testing machine. The analytical work tested seven different reported models relating the two measured parameters for VC on SCC, while the Welch 2 sample t-test statistical technique was adopted to check the normality and equality of variance of the results. Experimental findings revealed that the ratio of the splitting tensile to compressive strengths for VC and SCC decreases with increasing compressive strength, and the analytical study revealed that similar analytical model could be adopted for both concrete types as there is no statistically detectable difference between their results. Keywords: Vibrated concrete, Self-compacting concrete, Compressive strength, Splitting tensile strength