Modeling nonlinear stress-strain model for sulfate dry-wet cycle erosion of concrete: considerations for the initial compaction stage

Sulfate dry-wet cycle erosion significantly affects the mechanical properties of concrete. Investigating the uniaxial compressive stress-strain relationship under these conditions is essential for developing accurate constitutive models. This study analyzes the uniaxial stress-strain curves of concrete subjected to dry-wet cycles in 5% and 15% sulfate solutions. The results show that the initial compaction phase in the stress-strain relationship is particularly pronounced under increasing sulfate concentrations and cycle counts. The concrete experiences an extended compaction phase, which accounts for up to 35.71% of the total strain process. This finding challenge traditional constitutive models, which struggle to accurately describe this phase. To address this issue, the study develops a nonlinear stress-strain model for concrete, incorporating the initial damage caused by sulfate dry-wet cycle erosion, based on Weibull statistical damage mechanics principles. The research indicates that the effects of sulfate concentration and cycle count are predominantly reflected in the pronounced nonlinearity of the skeleton strain function's opening size (a) and shape characteristics (b), modeled using a fourth-degree polynomial. The model demonstrates an excellent fit to experimental data with an R² value of 0.99989, showing that the proposed nonlinear stress-strain relationship effectively captures the uniaxial mechanical behavior of concrete under sulfate dry-wet cycle erosion and provides a robust framework for developing constitutive models in such environments.