Compression Fracture-Mechanics of Damage Localization and Size Effect

The present paper summarIzes several re:>uirs on compression fracture and its scaling re-ct'fltiy obtailled at \'orthwestern liniver:>ity They deal with tht ' devdopment of approxi-lllate asymptotic formulas for the nominal:'trength of quasibrittle structUl'es, and focuses 011 concrete and fiber composites. One approach exploits the approximate method of energ:' release zones. and another approach is based on asymptotic expansions of quasi-LEF:\I so-lutions. The compression fracture is assumed to be caused either by axial splitting or by lateral propagation of a band of axial splitting cracks. The residual stress transmitted across the band is governed by internal buckling. The size effect cun'e of the logarithm of nominal strength versus the logarithm of size is found (0 terminate \\'irh a horizontal asymptote.