Abstract: In the aim of investigating the flexural fatigue performance of rubber concrete, we prepared rubber concrete specimens by mixing different dosages of rubber particles (particle size 0.54 mm) into concrete, and carried out axial compression test and axial tension test. According to the measured stress-strain curve we calculated the elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio. Furthermore, we acquired the ultimate load, peak deflection and load-deflection curves via four-point bending static load test and ABAQUS numerical simulation. The test results were close to the numerical simulation results, verifying the reliability of the numerical model. Moreover, we analyzed the flexural fatigue life expectancy of rubber concrete under constant-amplitude loading and variable-amplitude loading by using software Fe-safe. Our findings demonstrated that both ordinary concrete and rubber concrete had a shorter flexural fatigue life expectancy at higher stress level under constant-amplitude cyclic loading. The flexural fatigue life of rubber concrete with any rubber dosage was longer than that of ordinary concrete, and the more rubber content, the longer the flexural fatigue life. Under variable amplitude load, the flexural fatigue life of concrete extended with the rising of rubber content; with the increase of the amplitude grade, the flexural fatigue life of rubber concrete shortened with the increase of amplitude grade.

Key words: rubber concrete, ABAQUS simulation, bending property, Fe-safe calculation, fatigue life expectancy