Study on the Constitutive Behavior and Damage Evolution in the FPZ of WST Specimens Using the Vic-2D and Strain Gauges

The Vic-2D is an innovate system that uses a non-invasive method called Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique, which provides a contour map of strains of an entire specimen surface subject to mechanical tests, based on gray value digitalized images. The paper presents the results of experimental investigations of the constitutive behavior and damage evolution in the fracture process zone (FPZ) of concrete using the Vic-2D, in comparison with the traditional strain gauge method. The model tests were performed with notched concrete specimens via the Wedge Splitting Test (WST) method. During the tests, stress-strain curves and evolution of the damage variable were determined and analyzed at multiple levels. The results provide the achievements obtained and some limitations with both two methods.