In-situ X-CT Test on Mortar Micro-specimen Coupled with Mesoscale Numerical Simulations of Fracture

The mesoscale fracture modeling of concrete requires explicit descriptions of the mesostructure and the fracture behavior of its phases. To identify the fracture properties, an in situ three-point bending test on a notched beam was carried out in an X-ray scanner. The kinematic fields at different loadings and crack propagation steps were measured via Digital Volume Correlation. A realistic mesh was created for mechanical simulations to be run. The experimental displacement fields were used as kinematic boundary conditions of a region of interest around the crack. Fracture of the cement paste was modeled with a phase field method. The numerical cracking pattern is compared to the experimental observation.