• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.745-760
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• 2021

Dynamic buckling of structure is one of the failure modes that needs to be considered since it may result in catastrophic failure of the structure in a short period of time. For a thin fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) plate under compression, buckling is an inherent hazard which will be intensified by the existence of defects like holes, cracks, and delamination. On the other hand, the growth of the delamination is another prime concern for thin FRP plates. In the current paper, reinforcing the plates against buckling is realized by using SMA wires in the form of stitches. A numerical framework is proposed to simulate the dynamic instability emphasizing the effect of the SMA stitches in suppressing delamination growth. The suggested algorithm is more accurate than the other methods when considering the transformation point of the SMA wires and the modeling of the cohesive zone using simple and yet reliable technique. The computational design of the method by producing the line by line orders leads to a simple algorithm for simulating the super-elastic behavior. The Lagoudas constitutive model of the SMA material is implemented in the form of user material subroutines (VUMAT). The normal bilinear spring model is used to reproduce the cohesive zone behavior. The nonlinear finite element formulation is programmed into FORTRAN using the Newmark-beta numerical time-integration approach. The obtained results are compared with the results obtained by the finite element method using ABAQUS/Explicit solver. The obtained results by the proposed algorithm and those by ABAQUS are in good agreement.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.233-240
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• 2019

Open-hole tensile tests are usually performed to measure the tensile strengths of composites as they are an essential parameter for designing composite structures. However, correctly modeling the tensile test is extremely challenging as it involves various damages such as fiber and matrix damage, delamination, and debonding damage between the fiber and matrix. Therefore, a progressive damage model was developed in this study to estimate the in-plane failure and delamination between the fiber and matrix. The Hashin damage model and cohesive zone approach were used to model ply and delamination failures. The results of the present model were compared with previously published experimental and numerical findings. It was observed that neglecting delamination during finite element analysis led to overestimation of tensile strength.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.735-758
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• 2015

This work deals with unilateral effect of quasi-brittle materials, such as concrete. For this propose, a two-dimensional meso-scale model is presented. The material is considered as a three-phase material consisting of interface zone, matrix and inclusions - each constituent modeled by an appropriate constitutive model. The Representative Volume Element (RVE) consists of inclusions idealized as circular shapes randomly placed into the specimen. The interface zone is modeled by means of cohesive contact finite elements developed here in order to capture the effects of phase debonding and interface crack closure/opening. As an initial approximation, the inclusion is modeled as linear elastic as well as the matrix. Our main goal here is to show a computational homogenization-based approach as an alternative to complex macroscopic constitutive models for the mechanical behavior of the quasi-brittle materials using a finite element procedure within a purely kinematical multi-scale framework. A set of numerical examples, involving the microcracking processes, is provided. It illustrates the performance of the proposed model. In summary, the proposed homogenization-based model is found to be a suitable tool for the identification of macroscopic mechanical behavior of quasi-brittle materials dealing with unilateral effect.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.221-240
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• 2017

The modeling of the mechanical behavior of quasi-brittle materials is still a challenge task, mainly in failure processes when fracture and plasticity phenomena become important actors in dissipative processes which occur in materials like concrete, as instance. Many homogenization-based approaches have been proposed to deal with heterogeneous materials in the last years. In this context, a computational homogenization modeling for concrete is presented in this work using the concept of Representative Volume Element (RVE). The material is considered as a three-phase material consisting of interface zone (ITZ), matrix and inclusions-each constituent modeled by an independent constitutive model. The Representative Volume Element (RVE) consists of inclusions idealized as circular shapes symmetrically and nonsymmetrically placed into the specimen. The interface zone is modeled by means of cohesive contact finite elements. The inclusion is modeled as linear elastic and matrix region is considered as elastoplastic material. A set of examples is presented in order to show the potentialities and limitations of the proposed modeling. The consideration of the fracture processes in the ITZ is fundamental to capture complex macroscopic characteristics of the material using simple constitutive models at mesoscopic level.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.207-222
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• 2019

This paper has presented an effective and accurate meso-scale finite element model for simulating the fracture process of concrete under compression-shear loading. In the proposed model, concrete is parted into four important phases: aggregates, cement matrix, interfacial transition zone (ITZ), and the initial defects. Aggregate particles were modelled as randomly distributed polygons with a varying size according to the sieve curve developed by Fuller and Thompson. With regard to initial defects, only voids are considered. Cohesive elements with zero thickness are inserted into the initial mesh of cement matrix and along the interface between aggregate and cement matrix to simulate the cracking process of concrete. The constitutive model provided by ABAQUS is modified based on Wang's experiment and used to describe the failure behaviour of cohesive elements. User defined programs for aggregate delivery, cohesive element insertion and modified facture constitutive model are developed based on Python language, and embedded into the commercial FEM package ABAQUS. The effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed model are firstly identified by comparing the numerical results with the experimental ones, and then it is used to investigate the effect of meso-structure on the macro behavior of concrete. The shear strength of concrete under different pressures is also involved in this study, which could provide a reference for the macroscopic simulation of concrete component under shear force.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.275-291
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• 2015

Adherence between reinforcement and the surrounding concrete is usually ignored in finite element analysis (FEA) of reinforced concrete (RC) members. However, load transition between the reinforcement and surrounding concrete effects RC members' behavior a great deal. In this study, the effects of bond-slip on the FEA of RC members are examined. In the analyses, three types of bond-slip modeling methods (perfect bond, contact elements and spring elements) and three types of reinforcement modeling methods (smeared, one dimensional line and three dimensional solid elements) were used. Bond-slip behavior between the reinforcement and surrounding concrete was simulated with cohesive zone materials (CZM) for the first time. The bond-slip relationship was identified experimentally using a beam bending test as suggested by RILEM. The results obtained from FEA were compared with the results of four RC beams that were tested experimentally. Results showed that, in FE analyses, because of the perfect bond occurrence between the reinforcement and surrounding concrete, unrealistic strains occurred in the longitudinal reinforcement. This situation greatly affected the load deflection relationship because the longitudinal reinforcements dominated the failure mode. In addition to the spring elements, the combination of a bonded contact option with CZM also gave closer results to the experimental models. However, modeling of the bond-slip relationship with a contact element was quite difficult and time consuming. Therefore bond-slip modeling is more suitable with spring elements.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.143-168
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• 2015

Initiation of crack and its growth simulation requires accurate model of traction - separation law. Accurate modeling of traction-separation law remains always a great challenge. Atomistic simulations based prediction has great potential in arriving at accurate traction-separation law. The present paper is aimed at establishing a method to address the above problem. A method for traction-separation law prediction via utilizing atomistic simulations data has been proposed. In this direction, firstly, a simpler approach of common neighbor analysis (CNA) for the prediction of crack growth has been proposed and results have been compared with previously used approach of threshold potential energy. Next, a scheme for prediction of crack speed has been demonstrated based on the stable crack growth criteria. Also, an algorithm has been proposed that utilizes a variable relaxation time period for the computation of crack growth, accurate stress behavior, and traction-separation atomistic law. An understanding has been established for the generation of smoother traction-separation law (including the effect of free surface) from a huge amount of raw atomistic data. A new curve fit has also been proposed for predicting traction-separation data generated from the molecular dynamics simulations. The proposed traction-separation law has also been compared with the polynomial and exponential model used earlier for the prediction of traction-separation law for the bulk materials.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.95-104
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• 2020

This study aims to explore a purely mechanistic pavement analysis approach where viscoelasticity and fracture of asphalt mixtures are considered to accurately predict deformation and damage behavior of flexible pavements. To do so, the viscoelastic and fracture properties of designated pavement materials are obtained through experiments and a fully mechanistic damage analysis is carried out using a finite element method (FEM). While modeling crack development can be done in various ways, this study uses the cohesive zone approach, which is a well-known fracture mechanics approach to efficiently model crack initiation and propagation. Different pavement configurations and traffic loads are considered based on three main functional classes of roads suggested by FHWA i.e., arterial, collector and local. For each road type, three different material combinations for asphalt concrete (AC) and base layers are considered to study damage behavior of pavement. A concept of the approach is presented and a case study where three different material combinations for AC and base layers are considered is exemplified to investigate progressive damage behavior of pavements when mixture properties and layer configurations were altered. Overall, it can be concluded that mechanistic pavement modeling attempted in this study could differentiate the performance of pavement sections due to varying design inputs. The promising results, although limited yet to be considered a fully practical method, infer that a few mixture tests can be integrated with the finite element modeling of the mixture tests and subsequent structural modeling of pavements to better design mixtures and pavements in a purely mechanistic manner.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.8 no.1 s.27
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• pp.139-152
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• 2006

Many experimental and numerical approaches have been developed to evaluate paving materials and to predict pavement response and distress. Micromechanical simulation modeling is a technology that can reduce the number of physical tests required in material formulation and design and that can provide more details, e.g., the internal stress and strain state, and energy evolution and dissipation in simulated specimens with realistic microstructural features. A clustered distinct element modeling (DEM) approach was implemented In the two-dimensional particle flow software package (PFC-2D) to study the complex behavior observed in asphalt mixture fracturing. The relationship between continuous and discontinuous material properties was defined based on the potential energy approach. The theoretical relationship was validated with the uniform axial compression and cantilever beam model using two-dimensional plane strain and plane stress models. A bilinear cohesive displacement-softening model was implemented as an intrinsic interface and applied for both homogeneous and heterogeneous fracture modeling in order to simulate behavior in the fracture process zone and to simulate crack propagation. A disk-shaped compact tension test (DC(T)) with heterogeneous microstructure was simulated and compared with the experimental fracture test results to study Mode I fracture. The realistic arbitrary crack propagation including crack deflection, microcracking, crack face sliding, crack branching, and crack tip blunting could be represented in the fracture models. This micromechanical modeling approach represents the early developmental stages towards a 'virtual asphalt laboratory,' where simulations of laboratory tests and eventually field response and distress predictions can be made to enhance our understanding of pavement distress mechanisms, such its thermal fracture, reflective cracking, and fatigue crack growth.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.463-474
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• 2020

In this paper, the influence of adding multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) on the pull behavior of steel and GFRP bars in ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) was examined experimentally and numerically. For numerical analysis, 3D nonlinear finite element modeling (FEM) with the help of ABAQUS software was used. Mechanical properties of the specimens, including Young's modulus, tensile strength and compressive strength, were extracted from the experimental results of the tests performed on standard cube specimens and for different values of weight percent of MWCNTs. In order to consider more realistic assumptions, the bond between concrete and bar was simulated using adhesive surfaces and Cohesive Zone Model (CZM), whose parameters were obtained by calibrating the results of the finite element model with the experimental results of pullout tests. The accuracy of the results of the finite element model was proved with conducting the pullout experimental test which showed high accuracy of the proposed model. Then, the effect of different parameters such as the material of bar, the diameter of the bar, as well as the weight percent of MWCNT on the bond behavior of bar and UHPC were studied. The results suggest that modifying UHPC with MWCNT improves bond strength between concrete and bar. In MWCNT per 0.01 and 0.3 wt% of MWCNT, the maximum pullout strength of steel bar with a diameter of 16 mm increased by 52.5% and 58.7% compared to the control specimen (UHPC without nanoparticle). Also, this increase in GFRP bars with a diameter of 16 mm was 34.3% and 45%.