Compressive And Tensile Strength Of Concrete Loaded And Soaked In Crude Oil

Abstract

Effect of crude oil on compressive, splitting-tensile, and flexural-tensile strength of concrete under short-term and Lr.^-term loading, were investigated. Results show that the rate of crude oil absorption is high at early stages of soaking, but this rate decreases with time. There is a reduction in the absorption by 30 to 40 percent of ultimate strength in specimens exposed to instantaneous loading as compared with unloaded specimens. While the absorption increases moderately at 70 percent loading, compressive and splitting-tensile strengths of concrete after 60 days of soaking are reduced by 12.52 and 11.00 percent, as compared with initial unsoaked strength. Due to soaking, loading levels up to 50 percent have no effect on further strength reduction. Modulus of rupture increases by 4 percent after 60 days soaking. Loading causes some further increase in modulus of rupture. Continuously loaded specimens showed higher strength compared with short-term loaded specimens, for the same loading level and soaking time