A background literature survey pertinent to the behaviour of plain concrete under short-term compressive load is presented. This yields little to suggest that any consis·tent "understanding" of the overall strength/deformation/failure topic prevails in the mainstream of current thought.

The rationale of a generalised hierarchical model of material behaviour, the basis for which was first suggested some fifteen years ago is examined in considerable depth. The model itself is thoroughly unconventional in the context of typical modern views and actually challenges many commonly-held precepts. Philosophical arguments are advanced on behalf of its more radical implications. Its consistent predictive potential as regards the load-induced behavioural traits exhibited by real concrete systems is demonstrated.