Document Archives

Observations on the Fatigue Behavior of High-Strength Lightweight Concrete

• ID:

  912

• ESCSI:

  4324.013

• Author:

  Hoff, George C.

• Publication Name:

  1995 Structural Lightweight Aggregate Summit

• Type of Publication:

  Paper

• Publisher:

  Carolina Stalite Company

• Dated:

  1995

• Issue/Volume:

  May 25-26

• Other ID:

• Page(s):

  38 pages

• Reference List:

  Y

• Abstract:

  The use of high-strength lightweight concrete (HSLWC) in offshore oil and gas platforms is becoming more common. The constant wave action on these structures imposes continual fatigue loading on the concrete. The paper reviews previous research on both compressive and flexural fatigue behavior of HSLWC. The fatigue behavior of HSLWC is comparable or somewhat better than high-strength normal density concrete (HSNDC) tested under the same conditions. The cyclic strain behavior of HSLWC is significantly different than for HSNDC and there is little change in strain behavior with increasing cycles of load until failure occurs. The fatigue life is reduced when the concrete is tested in submerged conditions. There is no significant difference between the S-N curves for reinforced and non-reinforced concrete. The mechanism which causes HSLWC to have comparable or better performance than HSNDC is attributed to the improved microstructure of the matrix-aggregate interface. This improvement reduces microcracking which typically leads to fatigue damage. The effect of crack blocking by sea salt depositions is discussed.