Résumé
Concrete rupture is mainly influenced by the mechanisms occurring at the scale of the Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) between cement matrix and aggregates. However, experimental quantitative assessment of concrete cohesive behavior at that scale (centimeter scale) remains an open issue among the scientific community. In this paper, we present a three-point bending test allowing for a measure of the mechanical response of centimeter concrete samples. CEM I Portland cement paste sample, as well as composites cement-silica and cement-steel samples are tested. Weibull parameters for estimating the probability of crack initiation in concrete at the centimeter scale are computed based on the experimental results. A device for recording crack position on the surface of a sample is introduced. Its use in future studies might bring information on the crack dynamic propagation in concrete at the centimeter scale.