EXPERIMENTAL TESTS AND FE SIMULATIONS TO COMPUTE THE MECHANICAL AND
FRACTURE PROPERTIES OF THE SHOT-EARTH 772
Abstract
The present paper is dedicated to the mechanical and fracture
characterisation of a specific earthen material, that is, the shot-earth
772. Although such a material has been recently characterised from a
microstructural, chemical and physical point of view, the knowledge of
its mechanical and fracture properties (essential for extending its use
in construction industry) is still lacking. Such characterisations are
here performed both experimentally, through laboratory tests, and
numerically, through a FE model. The experimental tests (i.e. flexural,
compression and fracture tests) are carried out on shot-earth specimens
according to Recommendations available for concrete and a method
proposed by some of the present authors, named Modified Two-Parameter
Model. The numerical analyses are performed by employing a
micromechanical model (implemented in a non-linear 2D FE homemade code),
which allows to simulate both flexural and fracture behaviour of the
shot-earth examined. Finally, the obtained numerical results are
compared with the experimental ones.