Development of a 100 mm-Diameter Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar for High Strain Rate Characterization of Concrete

The Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) is an experimental technique used to examine the behavior of materials at high strain rates. The aim of this paper is to present the development of a SHPB for the testing of concrete at high strain rates. The construction of the SHPB is detailed, including the important decisions made during its development. The basic calibration of the setup has been performed. The ordinary and fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) specimens (M30) with a diameter of 100 mm and L/D ratio of 0.5 are tested at a strain rate of about 50 to 65 s−1. The comparison of the results from the SHPB test and the quasi-static test is also presented. From the results, it is concluded that the developed SHPB is giving consistent results for the ordinary concrete, whereas for FRC specimens, there is a difference in the peak stress, which could be the variabilities in the dispersion of fibers in the concrete. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd