• Computers and Concrete
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.55-62
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• 2021

The concrete fatigue analysis can be performed with the use of fracture mechanics. The fracture mechanics defines the fatigue crack propagation as the relationship of crack growth rate and stress intensity factor. In contrast to metal, the application of fracture mechanics to concrete is more complicated and therefore many authors have introduced empirical expressions using Paris law. The topic of this paper is development of a new prediction of fatigue crack propagation for concrete using rheological-dynamical analogy (RDA) and finite element method (FEM) in the frame of linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM). The static and cyclic fatigue three-point bending tests on notched beams are considered. Verification of the proposed approach was performed on the test results taken from the literature. The comparison between the theoretical model and experimental results indicates that the model proposed in this paper is valid to predict the crack propagation in flexural fatigue of concrete.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제10권6호
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• pp.547-555
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• 2012

Measuring crack length in concrete fracture test is not a trivial problem due to high speed crack propagation. In this study, mechanoluminascent (ML) material, which emits visible light under stress condition, was employed to visualize crack propagation during concrete fracture test. Three-point bending test was conducted with a notched concrete beam specimen. The cracking images due to ML phenomenon were recorded by using a high speed camera as a function of time and external loadings. The experimental results successfully demonstrated the capability of ML material as a promising visualization tool for concrete crack propagation. In addition, an interesting cracking behavior of concrete bending fracture was observed in which the crack propagated fast while the load decreased slowly at early fracture stage.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제19권5호
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• pp.509-514
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• 2017

Concrete retaining walls are the most common types of geotechnical structures for controlling instable slopes resulting from lateral pressure. In analytical stability, calculation of the concrete retaining walls is regarded as a rigid mass when its safety is required. When cracks in these structures are created, the stability may be enforced and causes to defeat. Therefore, identification, creation and propagation of cracks are among the important steps in control of lacks and stabilization. Using the numerical methods for simulation of crack propagation in concrete retaining walls bodies are among the new aspects of geotechnical analysis. Among the considered analytical methods in geotechnical appraisal, the boundary element method (BEM) for simulation of crack propagation in concrete retaining walls is very convenient. Considered concrete retaining wall of this paper is Pars Power Plant structured in south side in Assalouyeh, SW of Iran. This wall's type is RW6 with 11 m height and 440 m length and endurance of refinery construction lateral forces. To evaluate displacement and stress distributions (${\sigma}_{1,max}/{\sigma}_{3,min}$), the surrounding, especially in tip and its opening crack BEM, is considered an appropriate method. By considering the result of this study, with accurate simulation of crack propagation, it is possible to determine the final status of progressive failure in concrete retaining walls and anticipate the suitable stabilization method.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.49-66
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• 2007

The objective of this paper is to provide experimental data on the propagation of curved crack-surfaces and the respective load-displacement diagrams for the validation of numerical models for cracking of concrete, subjected to three-dimensional stress states. To this end beam-shaped specimens are subjected to combined bending and torsional loading, leading to the formation of a spatially curved crack-surface. The experimental data contain the evolution of the load and of the strains at selected points in terms of the crack mouth opening displacement and the propagation of the crack surface.

• 한국도로학회논문집
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.83-90
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• 2015

PURPOSES : The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the crack propagation depth through a slab and crack width movement in continuously reinforced concrete slab systems (CRCSs). METHODS : The crack width movements in continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) and continuously reinforced concrete railway track (CRCT) were measured in the field for different crack spacings. In addition, the crack width movements in both CRCP and CRCT were simulated using finite element models of CRCP and CRCT. The crack width movements, depending on the unit temperature change, were obtained from both the field tests and numerical analysis models. RESULTS : The experimental analysis results show that the magnitudes of the crack width movements in CRCSs were related to not only the crack spacing, but also the crack propagation depth. In CRCP, the magnitudes of the crack width movements were more closely related to the crack propagation depths. In CRCT, the crack width movements were similar for different cracks since most were through cracks. If the numerical analysis was performed to predict the crack width movements by assuming that the crack propagates completely through the slab depth, the predicted crack width movements were similar to the actual ones in CRCT, but those may be overestimated in CRCP. CONCLUSIONS : The magnitudes of the crack width movements in CRCSs were mainly affected by the crack propagation depths through the slabs.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.57-63
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• 2017

A coupled experimental-numerical study on shear fracture in concrete specimens with different geometries is carried out. The crack initiation, propagation and final breakage of concrete specimens are experimentally studied under compression loading. The load-strain and the strength of the specimens are experimentally measured, indicating decreasing effects of the shear behavior on the failure load of the specimen. The effects of specimen geometries on the shear fracturing path in the concrete specimens are also investigate. Numerical models using an indirect boundary element method are made to evaluate the crack propagation paths of concrete specimens. These numerical results are compared with the performed experiments and are validated experimentally.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제52권4호
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• pp.829-841
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• 2014

The main purpose of this study is to determine the effect of overlay on the crack propagation. In order to simplify the problem, a cement concrete pavement is modeled as an elastic plate on Winkler foundation. To derive the singular integral equations, the Fourier transform and dislocation density function are used. Lobatto-Chebyshev integration formula, as a numerical method, is used to solve the singular integral equations. The numerical solution of stress intensity factor at the crack tip is derived. In order to examine the effect of overlay for resisting crack propagation, numerical analyses are carried out for a cement concrete pavement with an embedded crack and a concrete pavement with an asphalt overlay. Results show the significant factors that influence the crack propagation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제80권5호
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• pp.553-562
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• 2021

In this paper, a hybrid scaled boundary finite element and finite volume method (SBFEM-FVM) is proposed for simulating hydraulic-fracture propagation in brittle concrete materials. As a semi-analytical method, the scaled boundary finite element method is introduced for modelling concrete crack propagation under both an external force and water pressure. The finite volume method is employed to model the water within the crack and consider the relationship between the water pressure and the crack opening distance. The cohesive crack model is used to analyse the non-linear fracture process zone. The numerical results are compared with experimental data, indicating that the F-CMOD curves and water pressure changes under different loading conditions are approximately the same. Different types of water pressure distributions are also studied with the proposed coupled model, and the results show that the internal water pressure distribution has an important influence on crack propagation.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.235-243
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• 2019

The discontinuous Galerkin method (DGM) has become widely used as it possesses several qualities, such as a natural ability to dealing with discontinuities. DGM has its major success related to fluid mechanics. Its major importance is the ability to deal with discontinuities and still provide high order of approximation. That is an important advantage when simulating cracking propagation. No remeshing is necessary during the propagation, since the crack path follows the interface of elements. However, DGM comes with the drawback of an increased number of degrees of freedom when compared to the classical continuous finite element method. Thus, it seems a natural approach to combine them in the same simulation obtaining the advantages of both methods. This paper proposes the application of the combined continuous-discontinuous Galerkin method (CDGM) to crack propagation. An important engineering problem is the simulation of crack propagation in concrete structures. The problem is characterized by discontinuities that evolve throughout the domain. Crack propagation is simulated using CDGM. Discontinuous elements are placed in regions with discontinuities and continuous elements elsewhere. The cohesive zone model describes the fracture process zone where softening effects are expressed by cohesive zones in the interface of elements. Two numerical examples demonstrate the capacities of CDGM. In the first example, a plain concrete beam is submitted to a three-point bending test. Numerical results are compared to experimental data from the literature. The second example deals with a full-scale ground slab, comparing the CDGM results to numerical and experimental data from the literature.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.389-400
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• 2008

In this work we simulate explicitly the dynamic fracture propagation in reinforced concrete beams. In particular, adopting cohesive theories of fracture with the direct simulation of fracture and fragmentation, we represent the concrete matrix, the steel re-bars and the interface between the two materials explicitly. Therefore the crack nucleation within the concrete matrix, through and along the re-bars, the deterioration of the concrete-steel interface are modeled explicitly. The numerical simulations are validated against experiments of three-point-bend beams loaded dynamically under various strain rates. By extracting the crack-tip positions and the crack mouth opening displacement history, a two-stage crack propagation, marked by the attainment of the peak load, is observed. The first stage corresponds to the stable crack advance, the second one, the unstable collapse of the beam.