Experimental study on fatigue properties of normal and rubberized self-compacting concrete under bending

Abstract Self-compacting concrete with the unique property of flowing under its own weight has great importance for the design of structures and pavements. The use of rubber aggregates in self-compacting concrete improves its working performance such as fatigue behavior and ductility. With respect to the influences of maximum stress level, loading frequency and stress ratio, the fatigue behavior of normal self-compacting concrete (NSCC) and rubberized self-compacting concrete (RSCC) under four-point bending was investigated. Considering the number of cycles to failure and the developments of strain and stiffness, RSCC shows improvements in fatigue behavior and resistance of deformation compared to NSCC. Furthermore, because the fatigue lives were discrete, the fatigue lives of NSCC and RSCC were modeled by the two-parameter Weibull distribution. Based on the results, double logarithmic fatigue equations which provide a way to predict the fatigue life were established.