Damage in Concrete and its Detection by Use of Stress-Volumetric Strain Diagram

The reliable determination of the damage degree of concrete in the structure is difficult and not seldom short-term compressive strengths are considered as real strengths of concrete. Because the load history of the construction is generally unknown, we do not know, whether there have been reached values in the vicinity of the peak of the stress-strain diagram. The strength at the sustained or repeated loading would be then significantly lower, as obtained from tests performed on intact samples. The diagnostic of concrete damage is impeded by environmental effects, resulting in the anisotropy of the development of micro cracks. The possibility is pointed out to use the characteristics of the stress volumetric strain diagram for the assessment of the condition of the material, with the perspective of the application for the determination of the residual long-term strength of concrete