Using beam and ENDB specimens to evaluate fracture characteristics of wavy steel fiber‐reinforced self‐compacting concrete containing different coarse aggregate volumes

This research has addressed the effects of coarse aggregate (CA) and wavy steel fiber (WSF) volumes on the self‐compacting concrete (SCC) fracture parameters in beam and edge notched disk bend (ENDB) specimens using size effect and work fracture methods (SEM and WFM). Mix designs were based on 30%–60% CA volumes and 0.15%–0.45% WSF volumes, and 144 different‐size notched beam specimens underwent 3‐point bending tests. Results showed that increasing the CA volume and percent WSFs increased the SCC ductility in both SEM and WFM; increasing the WSF volume affected the fracture energy‐compressive strength relationship negatively at 30% and 40% CA volumes, and increasing the WSF affected the mentioned relationship positively at 50 and 60% CA volumes. Finally, we predicted the relationship between the fracture parameters calculated with ENDB specimens and those of beam specimens calculated with SEM and WFM. Highlights Effects of the coarse aggregate (CA) and wavy steel fiber (WSF) volumes on the fracture parameters of self‐compacting concrete (SCC) were investigated. In WSFRSCC, the fracture energy‐compressive strength relation is nonlinear. In size effect method (SEM), the highest fracture energy and toughness were for designs with largest WSF and CA. In SEM/WFM, fracture parameters can be found through ENDB specimens with no lab works.