Bend-beam specimens three-point loaded

Flexural strength is determined using beam-shaped specimens that are supported longways between two rollers. The load is then applied by either one or two rollers. These variants are called the three-point bend test and the four-point bend test, respectively. The stresses set up in the beam are complex and include compressive, shear and tensile forces. However, at the convex surface of the beam, where maximum tension exists, the material is in a state of pure tension (Berenbaum Brodie, 1959). The disadvantage of the method appears to be one of sensitivity to the condition of the surface, which is not surprising since the maximum tensile forces occur in the convex surface layer. 

This test method determines the behaviour of the asphalts under repetitive fatigue loading with controlled displacement by three-point bending, using prismatic beam-shaped specimens of equal width and height. The test can be used for asphalts with maximum aggregate size D up to 22 mm. 

Under three point bend loading of a composite (beam), cracks may be developed due to tensile stresses at the lower stratus of the specimen as well as compression stresses at the upper one, or due to interlaminar shear. The type of failure depends on the ratio of span to depth (L/D). Short beam specimens usually fail in shear and long ones by tensile or compression stresses. For interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) tests, a L/D = 5 was chosen (ASTM-D-2344-76). In case of flexural strength tests, this ratio was fixed to 40 (DIN 29971). 

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