Embrittlement and decrease of apparent strength in large-sized concrete structures

The problem of scale-effects on the performances of concrete structures is discussed. Experimentally observed decrease of nominal tensile strength, accompanied by structural embrittlement, occurring in large structures is of crucial importance in modern concrete engineering. Most of the previous approaches to the problem are restricted to notched structures and they often fail to predict mechanical behaviour in real situations. The physical approach put forward by us takes into adequate account the effects of microstructural disorder and seems to be valid in the whole size range, at least for unnotched structures. Thereby, reliable predictions can be made of the material properties in large-sized concrete,structures.