Experimental study of ambient temperature and moisture conditions on fatigue resistance of concrete

It is known that the fatigue resistance of concrete decreases when it becomes saturated with water, and that its compressive strength increases at low temperature. However, there have been few systematic investigations of the influence of the environmental temperature and moisture conditions on the fatigue resistance of concrete. In the present study, static loading and fatigue tests were carried out on concrete cylinders to determine their fatigue resistance under compression. The results indicated that at room temperature, the static compressive strength decreased with increasing moisture content. In contrast, at low temperature, it increased with increasing moisture content. On the other hand, regardless of the temperature, the fatigue resistance decreased as the moisture content increased.