• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.19-33
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• 2012

The performance of a concrete is significantly influenced by its mixture proportion and the coating thickness on aggregate surface. The concrete in this study is designed by estimating the blending ratio of aggregate using a densified mixture design algorithm (DMDA) based on an ideal grading curve and estimating the paste volume as the sum of the amount of paste needed to provide an assigned coating paste thickness. So as to obtain appropriate concrete amount, and thus can accurately estimate the property of concrete. Deduction of this mix design formula is simple and easy understanding, and meanwhile to obtain result is fast. This estimation model of mix design is expected to reward to industry and effectively upgrade concrete quality.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.87-102
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• 2010

This paper discusses new capabilities developed for the Virtual Penetration Laboratory (VPL) software package to address the challenges of determining Penetration Resistance (PR) equations for concrete materials. Specifically, the paper introduces a three-invariant concrete constitutive model recently developed by the authors. The Advanced Fundamental Concrete (AFC) model was developed to provide a fast-running predictive model to simulate the behavior of concrete and other high-strength geologic materials. The Continuous Evolutionary Algorithms (CEA) automatic fitting algorithms used to fit the new model are discussed, and then examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new AFC model. Finally, the AFC model in conjunction with the VPL software package is used to develop a PR equation for a concrete material.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.533-547
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• 2010

Recent developments in concrete mixing made possible the production of concretes with high compressive strength showing, simultaneously, high workability. These concretes also present high strengths at young ages, allowing the application of loads sooner. It is of fundamental importance to verify if creep models developed for current concrete still apply to these new concretes. First, a FEM-based software was adopted to test available creep models, most used for normal strength concrete, considering examples with known analytical results. Several limitations were registered, resulting in an incorrect simulation of three-dimensional creep. Afterwards, it was implemented a Kelvin-chain algorithm allowing the use of a chosen number of elements, which adequately simulated the adopted examples. From the comparison between numerical and experimental results, it was concluded that the adopted algorithm can be used to model creep of high strength concrete, if the material properties are previously experimentally assessed.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.497-510
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• 2010

For better estimation of elastic property of concrete composites, the effect of Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) has been found to be significant. Numerical concrete composites models have been introduced using Finite Element Method (FEM), where ITZ is modeled as a thin shell surrounding aggregate. Therefore, difficulties arise from the mesh generation. In this study, a numerical concrete composites model in 3D based on FEM and random unit cell method is proposed to calculate elastic modulus of concrete composites with ITZ. The validity of the model has been verified by comparing the calculated elastic modulus with those obtained from other analytical and numerical models.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.659-677
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• 2014

A Bayesian response surface updating procedure is applied in order to update the parameters of the covariance function of a random field for concrete properties based on a limited number of available measurements. Formulas as well as a numerical algorithm are presented in order to update the parameters of response surfaces using Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulations. The parameters of the covariance function are often based on some kind of expert judgment due the lack of sufficient measurement data. However, a Bayesian updating technique enables to estimate the parameters of the covariance function more rigorously and with less ambiguity. Prior information can be incorporated in the form of vague or informative priors. The proposed estimation procedure is evaluated through numerical simulations and compared to the commonly used least square method.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.447-458
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• 2013

Splitting tensile strength (STS) is a respectable mechanical property reflecting ability of the concrete. The STS of concrete is mainly related to compressive strength (CS), water/binder (W/B) ratio and concrete age. In this study, the assessment of STS is made by a novel uncertainty-oriented method which uses least square optimization and then predicts STS of concrete by uncertain (fuzzy) numbers. The approximation method addresses a novel integration of fuzzy set theory and multivariate statistics. The numerical examples showed that the method is applicable with relatively limited data. In addition, the prediction of uncertainty at various levels of possibility can be described. In conclusion, the uncertainty-oriented interval analysis can be suggested an effective tool for appraising the uncertainties in concrete technology.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.437-450
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• 2017

The present work investigates about the development of a novel construction material by utilizing Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GBS), an industrial waste product, as substitution of natural fine aggregates. For this, experimental work has been carried out to determine the influence of GBS on the properties of concrete such as compressive strength (CS), modulus of elasticity, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), chloride penetration, water absorption (WA) volume of voids (VV) and density. Concrete mixes of water/cement (w/c) ratios 0.45 and 0.5, and incorporating 20%, 40% and 60% of GBS as partial replacement of natural fine aggregate (sand) are designed for this study. The results of the experimental investigation depict that CS of concrete mixes increases with the increasing percentages of GBS. Moreover, the decrease in chloride penetration, WA and VV, and improvement in the modulus of elasticity, UPV, density of concrete is reported with the increasing percentage of GBS in concrete.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.289-298
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• 2019

Reinforced concrete can be considered as a heterogeneous material consisting of coarse aggregate, mortar mix and reinforcing bars. This paper presents a two-dimensional mesoscopic analysis of reinforced concrete beams using a simple two-phase mesoscopic model for concrete. The two phases of concrete, coarse aggregate and mortar mix are bonded together with reinforcement bars so that inter force transfer will occur through the material surfaces. Monte Carlo's method is used to generate the random aggregate structure using the constitutive model at mesoscale. The generated models have meshed such that there is no material discontinuity within the elements. The proposed model simulates the load-deflection behavior, crack pattern and ultimate load of reinforced concrete beams reasonably well.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.85-94
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• 2019

The ACI building code is allowing for higher strength reinforcement and concrete compressive strengths. The nominal strength of high-strength concrete columns is over predicted by the current ACI 318 rectangular stress block and is increasingly unconservative as higher strength materials are used. Calibration of a rectangular stress block to address this condition leads to increased computational complexity. A triangular stress block, derived from the general shape of the stress-strain curve for high-strength concrete, provides a superior solution. The nominal flexural and axial strengths of 150 high-strength concrete columns tests are calculated using the proposed stress distribution and compared with the predicted strength using various design codes and proposals of other researchers. The proposed triangular stress model provides similar level of accuracy and conservativeness and is easily incorporated into current codes.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.171-188
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• 2019

This study proposed a new and efficient 2D damage-plasticity model within the framework of Isogeometric analysis (IGA) for the geometrically nonlinear damage analysis of concrete. Since concrete exhibits complicated material properties, two internal variables are introduced to measure the hardening/softening behavior of concrete in tension and compression, and an implicit gradient-enhanced formulation is adopted to restore the well-posedness of the boundary value problem. The numerical results calculated by the model is compared with the experimental data of three benchmark problems of plain concrete (three-point and four-point bending single-notched beams and four-point bending double-notched beam) to illustrate the geometrical flexibility, accuracy, and robustness of the proposed approach. In addition, the influence of the characteristic length on the numerical results of each problem is investigated.