A Study on Mesh Sensitivity of 3-D Homoginized Crack Model for Concrete Fracture Analysis

Since quasi-brittle materials like concrete show strain localization behavior accompanied by strain softening, a numerical drawback such as mesh sensitivity is appeared in the finite element analysis. In this paper, the so-called homogenized crack model which was introduced for three dimensional finite element analysis of fracture in concrete is studied for the mesh size dependence problem in fracture analysis. A homogenized crack element having a velocity discontinuity. is averaged to remove the mesh sensitivity in finite element analysis of concrete fracture. Numerical examples show that softening behavior of concrete fracture is successfully predicted without mesh sensitivity using the homogenized crack model.