An Experimental Study on the Fracture Energy of Foamed Concrete Using V-Notched Beams

Foamed concrete has recently gained attention as an alternative to normal concrete in structural engineering. Foamed concrete with a low range of densities can be obtained for various applications. As a structural component, foamed concrete is mainly advantageous given characteristics such as high strength with low density, good serviceability, and light weight. Therefore, many studies have investigated its strength and mechanical properties. However, these investigations did not examine the fracture energy of foamed concrete, which is the main parameter that governs damage and crack mechanisms. Therefore, the present study aims to experimentally investigate the fracture energy of foamed concrete using beam specimens with V-notches through the three-point bending test. Beam specimens of foamed concrete were cast and prepared at densities of 1,400 and 1,600 kg/m³. Moreover, the designed V-notch was 30 mm long and was positioned at the center of the beam. The beam specimens were then assessed to generate the strength-displacement profiles. Consequently, fracture energy was determined based on the Hillerborg, Bazant, and Comite Euro-International du Beton models. Results showed that cracks propagated from the tip of the notch to the upper surface of the beam. Surprisingly, the fracture energy of the foamed concrete were relatively high at approximately 18–25 N/m given compressive strengths of 6.4 and 14 MPa. Furthermore, the fracture energy of foamed concrete was only a fraction of that of normal concrete.