Size effect on dynamic splitting tensile strength of concrete: Mesoscale modeling

The size effect on the dynamic strength of concrete has been recognized, but the main causes of this phenomenon are not well understood. In this study, a mesoscale particle model was established to simulate the dynamic splitting tensile behavior of concrete and calibrated with experimental data. An equivalent momentum scheme based on mesoscale modeling was proposed for the quantitative division of the dynamic increase factors. The results showed that the inertia effect and multiple cracks improved the tensile strength, owing to the rate effects. However, the inertia factor played a dominant role, whereas the multiple crack factor minimally influenced the dynamic size effect of concrete.