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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/N66414/01
Title: DETECTION OF ACOUSTIC TENSOR EVOLUTION IN STRUCTURAL CONCRETE UNDER CONTROLLED MULTI-AXIAL LOADING
Principal Investigator: Crouch, Professor R
Other Investigators:
Waldron, Professor P
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Civil and Structural Engineering
Organisation: University of Sheffield
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 October 2000 Ends: 30 September 2003 Value (£): 310,473
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Civil Engineering Materials
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Construction
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The programme comprises the testing of 60 concrete specimens in the multi-axial compression rig recently constructed at the University of Sheffield. This unique device can deliver three independent principal stresses (up to 400MPa) on 100mm cubes. The precision of the measurement system enables stresses and strains to be detected to within 0.2MPa and 10 microstrains respectively.By initiating small perturbations in stress in one direction (while holding displacements in the other two directions and recording the reaction stresses) each column in the tangent constitutive matrix may be determined directly. Such 'stress probes' are to be undertaken throughout principal stress space (including the softening range). The tests will follow 10 different multi-stage paths (with stress reversals). Calculating the minimum determinant of the acoustic tensor at each probe site will, for the first time, yield crucial information on the emergence of localisation in concrete. Data generated from the experiments will also provide the first exhaustive investigation into the validity of an associated flow rule. Equally importantly, by investigating the role of the stiff inclusions in the mix (the course aggregate) and tests will drive forward the development of a new generation of constitutive models which directly addresses the material fabric.EngProg\
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Organisation Website: http://www.shef.ac.uk