Experimental investigation of size effect in concrete fracture under multiaxial compression

Series of scaled hollow-cylinder experiments in a size range 1: 4 were performed to investigate the size effect on strength and fracture of concrete subject to multiaxial compression. A notable size effect was observed during the tests with strength decrease as specimen size increased. Fracture processes were examined using impregnation techniques and their results indicated splitting type mechanisms to take place, which were encircling the inner-holes in a rather uniform manner. Interpretation of the results showed that the observed size effect attributes to a combination of structural (e.g. geometry imposed stress gradients) and material (statistical) size effects.