The influence of specimen size and strength on the shock properties of concretes: Experimental and mesomechanical analysis

Abstract This study addresses a significant gap in the literature regarding the effect of specimen size on the shock response of concrete with varying strength levels. Previous research has overlooked this aspect. In this work, we systematically investigate the equation of state (EoS) of high‐strength concrete specimens with diameters up to 150 mm, using flyer plate impact tests. The results are compared with data from regular‐strength concrete. The findings demonstrate that smaller specimens tend to underestimate the bulk modulus due to the lateral rarefaction effect. Additionally, the attenuation of stress amplitude is shown to be influenced by the inherent strength of the concrete. Based on these insights, new EoS models are proposed that account for both concrete strength and specimen size. Furthermore, a methodology is introduced for simulating the EoS of concrete using a mesoscale concrete model, with the simulation results validated against experimental data, thus expanding the pressure range of the EoS.