The energy-force model of destruction of reinforced concrete products by machine working bodies

BACKGROUND: The paper considers an approach to describe the working process of static action equipment for the destruction of reinforced concrete products. Despite the widespread use of machines of this type in the construction industry, their design and technological parameters still remain theoretically unsubstantiated. It is noted that individually none of the existing approaches, to the assessment of structural and strength properties of concrete, is not sufficient individually to describe the working process of its destruction by the working bodies of machines. AIM: Justification of the calculation model for the most comprehensive description of the working process of static action equipment for the destruction of reinforced concrete products. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hypothesis to describe the working process of concrete destruction on the basis of brittle fracture mechanics and phenomenological theories of strength is proposed. Verification of the proposed hypothesis was carried out by comparing the computational model, performed by the finite element method, with the results of the experiment on the fracture of concrete specimens of different strength, by stamps. RESULTS: The study established a high degree of agreement between the theoretical model and experimental data, the relative error in determining the breaking force did not exceed 10%. The proposed hypothesis is helpful to find a solution for the problems of concrete destruction by machine working bodies. CONCLUSION: An energy-force calculation model has been proposed and experimentally confirmed. The model gives the most complete description of the working process of static-action equipment for the destruction of reinforced concrete products. The results obtained during this study can be used for analytical solution of problems associated with the design of both staticaction and dynamic-action equipment.