Review of Fatigue Characteristics and Performance of Concrete

Abstract

Concrete structures such as bridges, pavements, and railway infrastructures are often subjected to long-term cyclic loading, making fatigue failure a critical factor affecting structural safety and service life. This paper systematically reviews recent research on the fatigue performance of concrete and summarizes the fatigue characteristics of conventional modified concrete, recycled aggregate concrete, rubber-modified concrete, and fiber-reinforced concrete. The influence of key factors, including material composition, environmental conditions, and loading parameters, is also discussed. Existing studies show that optimizing mix proportions and incorporating modified materials or fibers can significantly enhance the fatigue resistance of concrete. In particular, hybrid fiber reinforcement exhibits a stronger improvement effect than single-fiber systems, while recycled aggregate concrete and rubber-modified concrete can meet engineering requirements after appropriate modification. Finally, future research directions are proposed, including the development of green and low-carbon materials, the application of innovative fibers, and the integration of intelligent testing and fatigue life prediction methods.