Strength criterion of plain recycled aggregate concrete under biaxial compression

This paper presents results of biaxial compressive tests and strength criterion on two replacement percentages of recycled coarse aggregate (RPRCA) by mass for plain structural recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) at all kinds of stress ratios. The failure mode characteristic of specimens and the direction of the cracks were observed and described. The two principally static strengths in the corresponding stress state were measured. The influence of the stress ratios on the biaxial strengths of RAC was also analyzed. The experimental results showed that the ratios of the biaxial compressive strength 3f to the corresponding uniaxial compressive strength for the two RAC are higher than that of the conventional concrete (CC), and dependent on the replacement percentages of recycled coarse aggregate, stress states and stress ratios; however, the differences of tensile-compressive ratios for the two RAC and CC are smaller. On this basis, a new failure criterion with the stress ratios is proposed for plain RAC under biaxial compressive stress states. It provides the experimental and theoretical foundations for strength analysis of RAC structures subject to complex loads.