Lihai Tan

To study the influence of inclusions on the fracture evolution and mechanical properties of mortar structures, a series of uniaxial compression tests for mortar samples containing cylinder inclusions of varying mechanical properties were conducted. The digital image correlation (DIC) technique was employed for the analysis of deformation characteristics. In addition, failure modes for each sample were determined using self-documenting code. The result shows that inclusions filled in holes significantly influence the mechanical properties and failure characteristics of mortar structures as they can change the stress distribution and cracking process. Cracks are typically initiated at the boundaries of the inclusions but will only extend into the inclusion if it is less robust than the surrounding matrix. Sample strength increases significantly with an increase in sample strength when the inclusion’s strength does not surpass that of the surrounding material. Once the inclusion’s strength exceeds that of the surrounding matrix, the strength of the specimen remains relatively unchanged.