An experimental study is presented together with a 2D numerical model to show crack propagation under compression in specimens specially configured to fail with a single crack. The 2D numerical model is constructed and solved using a two-dimensional crack propagation simulator (FRANC2D). The combination of experiment and numerical modelling presented provides a new route for potentially understanding the process of crack propagation in compression which will, in time, help in developing a basic rational theory for predicting the compressive strength of quasi-brittle materials.
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