Dynamic Mechanical Properties and Visco-Elastic Damage Constitutive Model of Freeze–Thawed Concrete

To study the dynamic mechanical characteristics and constitutive relation of concrete materials under freeze–thaw (FT) cycle conditions, C35 concrete was taken as the research object in this paper, and FT tests were carried out with a freeze–thaw range of −20–20 °C and a freeze–thaw frequency up to 50 times. By using the separated Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) system, impact compression tests of concrete specimens under different FT cycle actions were developed, then the dynamic fracture morphology, fracture block distribution, stress–strain curve, peak stress and other dynamic mechanical properties of concrete were analyzed, and the influence law of FT action and strain rate was obtained. Through introducing the freeze–thaw deterioration damage factor and the stress damage variable, the dynamic visco-elastic damage constitutive equation of freeze–thawed concrete was constructed based on component combination theory. Furthermore, the damage evolution process and mechanism of freeze–thawed concrete materials were revealed. The research results show that the dynamic mechanical properties of concrete under a freeze–thaw environment are the combined results of the freeze–thaw deterioration effect and the strain rate strengthening effect. The dynamic visco-elastic damage constitutive model established in this paper can effectively describe the dynamic mechanical properties of freeze–thawed concrete, and has the characteristics of few parameters and good effect. The stress damage evolution path of concrete goes backward with the increase of FT cycles and the development speed gradually slows down. The greater the difference in FT cycles, the greater the difference in stress damage path.