This paper investigates the freeze-thaw performance of engineered cementitious composites (ECC) reinforced with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers, by applying an innovative criterion for judging the specimen’s working state mutation. The ECC materials are prepared into 25 mixtures using the Taguchi method. Then, the fundamental transverse frequency, the flexural performance and the internal strain variation of ECC specimens subjected to freeze-thaw cycles are measured. Unlike the existing studies, this investigation focuses on the failure behavior of ECC materials in the process of freeze-thaw. The Mann-Kendall (M-K) criterion is introduced to detect the ECC specimen’s working state leap feature, leading to the updated definition of frost-induced failure concept. Furthermore, the three-level model for evaluating the freeze-thaw performance of ECC materials is established according to the revealed essential leap feature. Thus, the effect of each individual mix design factor on the frost-induced failure indices is perceived from the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio analysis and the analysis of variance (ANOVA). Finally, a mix formulation estimated based on Taguchi method is recommended for its optimum resistance against frost-induced failure, which is verified by the confirmation experiment.

This paper presents the results of an experimental research designed to investigate the dynamic mechanical properties and constitutive model of fiber reinforced concrete (FRC), including steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) and polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete (PFRC) under fast loading. Experimental results are achieved by using the electrohydraulic servo loading test method, implying that the dynamic mechanical properties of PFRC and SFRC, such as peak stress, peak strain, and toughness, are positively affected by strain rate. The experimental elastic modulus test results of FRC with different fiber contents indicate that the elastic modulus is positively affected by polypropylene or steel fibers and increases with the increment of fiber content. Finally, the experimental stress‐strain curves obtained in the MTS electrohydraulic servo system test are fitted by a damage dynamic constitutive model of FRC. The good fitting with experimental results proves that the model could be appropriate to describe the dynamic mechanical properties of FRC.

Throughout the several-hundred-year-long history of the concept of strength, inaccurate material strength as a result of the size effect and the inconsistency of strength theories have been two continuous and challenging issues, and have even been taken to be inherent attributes of material strength. Applying the structural stressing state theory and method, this study experimentally investigates the uniaxial load-bearing process of concrete specimens and reveals their stressing state mutation features at specific load levels. Exploration of this general feature resulted in the discovery of essential strength, which is basically without size effect. Then, biaxial and triaxial experiments with concrete specimens were conducted in order to obtain the results for various combinations of principal stresses on essential strength. Consequently, according to Yu’s unified strength theory, the formula for strength of concrete was determined by fitting the relation between the combined principal stresses and the essential strength, which was verified by experiments carried out using natural marble specimens. Essential strength could promote the accuracy of strength indices, and the formula for strength might replace the existing strength theories for brittle materials. The initial solution of these two classic issues could make a new contribution to Yu’s unified strength theory and its final goal, promoting related research on material strength and leading to a more rational use of material strength in practical engineering.

The working states of three types of engineered cementitious composites (ECC) link slabs subjected to vertical loads are investigated based on the structural working state theory. The scattered measured strains are firstly expanded into spatially continuous data using the response simulating interpolation method without loss of original information. The generalized strain energy density (GSED) is derived from these data and the sum of which are used to characterize the working states of ECC link slabs. Thereafter, the Mann-Kendall (M-K) criterion is introduced to detect the working state leaps during the whole loading procedure and two critical mutations are revealed: The yielding point and the initial structural failure point. Finally, the working state modes, the characteristics of strain fields and the development of internal forces are employed to verify the working state mutations around the revealed critical points. The GSED-based analysis of structural working state is an innovative method to discern some unseen working behavior characteristics which are ignored by traditional structural analysis theory. The work reported herein has a further effect in improving the structural design codes for ECC link slabs.

This paper experimentally analyzes the working behavior characteristics of five concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) arch supports in deep roadway based on the numerical shape function (NSF) method and structural stressing state theory. First, the measured strain data are expanded by the NSF method and modeled as generalized strain energy density (GSED) to characterize the stressing state of the supports. Then, one of the supports is taken as an example and the Mann-Kendall (M-K) criterion is adopted to detect the mutation characteristics of the support, which derives the new definition of structural failure load. Correspondingly, the stressing state modes as well as strain and stress fields for the support are proposed to verify their mutation characteristics. Finally, the common and different characteristics of stressing state, damage development and internal forces for different supports are also summarized. The analytical results of the supports explore a new analysis method for underground structures and the unseen knowledge provides a reference to more rational future design.