A new method was developed to obtain the complete stress-deformation response of an unnotched concrete specimen. This method employs a digitally controlled closed-loop testing machine and five control channels: stroke LVDT and four LVDTs mounted on the specimen. The test portion of the specimen was fully spanned by these four LVDTs. The outputs of these control channels and the load cell were monitored during the test by a computer equipped with LabTech's Notebook software. A 'C' language program was written to enable quick switching of the mode of control from one LVDT to another. The problem of uncertainty in the location of the major crack was tackled by the said LVDT arrangement and the computer program. It was demonstrated that it is always possible to obtain stable post-peak response provided one ensures that at any time during the test, the feedback used is the LVDT that exhibits, at that time, the largest slope of the response-time curve. An acoustic emission (AE) measurement system of six channels was also used in the experiments. Monitoring of signals from the AE transducers provided valuable information which helped in making the decision to switch control. © 1993 Society for Experimental Mechanics, Inc.