• Computers and Concrete
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.101-117
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• 2007

A new model predicting the nonlinear basic creep behaviour of concrete structures subjected to high multi-axial stresses is proposed. It combines a model based on the thermodynamic framework of the elasto-plastic continuum damage theory for time-independent material behaviour and a rheological model describing phenomenologically the long-term delayed deformation. Strength increase due to ageing is regarded. The general 3D solution for the creep theory is derived from a rate-type form of the uniaxial formulation by the assumption of associated creep flow and a theorem of energy equivalence. The model is able to reproduce linear primary creep as well as secondary and tertiary creep stages under high compressive stresses. For concrete in tension a simple viscoelastic formulation is applied. The material law is then incorporated into a finite element solution procedure for analysis of reinforced concrete structures. Numerical examples of uniaxial creep tests and concrete members show excellent agreement with experimental results.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.227-237
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• 2018

Today, the modeling of concrete as a material within finite element simulations is predominantly done through nonlinear material models of concrete. In current sophisticated computational systems, there are a number of complex concrete material models which are based on theory of plasticity, damage mechanics, linear or nonlinear fracture mechanics or combinations of those theories. These models often include very complex constitutive relations which are suitable for the modeling of practically any continuum mechanics tasks. However, the usability of these models is very often limited by their parameters, whose values must be defined for the proper realization of appropriate constitutive relations. Determination of the material parameter values is very complicated in most material models. This is mainly due to the non-physical nature of most parameters, and also the large number of them that are frequently involved. In such cases, the designer cannot make practical use of the models without having to employ the complex inverse parameter identification process. In continuum mechanics, however, there are also constitutive relations that require the definition of a relatively small number of parameters which are predominantly of a physical nature and which describe the behavior of concrete very well within a particular task. This paper presents an example of such constitutive relations which have the potential for implementation and application in finite element systems. Specifically, constitutive relations for modeling the plane stress state of concrete are presented and subsequently tested and evaluated in this paper. The relations are based on the incremental theory of elastic strain-hardening plasticity in which a non-associated flow rule is used. The calculation result for the case of concrete under uniaxial compression is compared with the experimental data for the purpose of the validation of the constitutive relations used.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제20권6호
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• pp.689-704
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• 2017

The paper presents experimental and numerical investigations of prefabricated composite structural building reinforced concrete slabs with the insulating material for a residential building construction. The building slabs were composed of concrete and expanded polystyrene. In experiments, the slabs in the full-scale 1:1 were subjected to vertical concentrated loads and failed along a diagonal shear crack. The experiments were numerically evaluated using the finite element method based on two different constitutive continuum models for concrete. First, an elasto-plastic model with the Drucker-Prager criterion defined in compression and with the Rankine criterion defined in tension was used. Second, a coupled elasto-plastic-damage formulation based on the strain equivalence hypothesis was used. In order to describe strain localization in concrete, both models were enhanced in the softening regime by a characteristic length of micro-structure by means of a non-local theory. Attention was paid to the formation of critical diagonal shear crack which was a failure precursor.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제12권5호
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• pp.585-612
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• 2013

The paper presents quasi-static numerical simulations of the behaviour of short reinforced concrete beams without shear reinforcement under mixed shear-tension failure using the FEM and four various constitutive continuum models for concrete. First, an isotropic elasto-plastic model with a Drucker-Prager criterion defined in compression and with a Rankine criterion defined in tension was used. Next, an anisotropic smeared crack and isotropic damage model were applied. Finally, an elasto-plastic-damage model was used. To ensure mesh-independent FE results, to describe strain localization in concrete and to capture a deterministic size effect, all models were enhanced in a softening regime by a characteristic length of micro-structure by means of a non-local theory. Bond-slip between concrete and reinforcement was considered. The numerical results were directly compared with the corresponding laboratory tests performed by Walraven and Lehwalter (1994). The advantages and disadvantages of enhanced models to model the reinforced concrete behaviour were outlined.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제1권3호
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• pp.227-248
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• 2004

A combined experimental-computational study of a double edge-notched stone specimen subjected to tensile loading is presented. In the experimental part, the load-deformation response and the displacement field around the crack tip are recorded. An Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometer (ESPI) is used to obtain the local displacement field. The experimental results are used to validate a numerical model for the description of fracture using finite elements. The numerical model uses displacement discontinuities to model cracks. At the discontinuity, a plasticity-based cohesive zone model is applied for monotonic loading and a combined damage-plasticity cohesive zone model is used for cyclic loading. Both local and global results from the numerical simulations are compared with experimental data. It is shown that local measurements add important information for the validation of the numerical model. Consequently, the numerical models are enhanced in order to correctly capture the experimentally observed behaviour.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• 제2권4호
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• pp.383-397
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• 2015

This article identifies and addresses current limitations on the use of numerical models for validation and/or calibration of damage detection methodologies that are based on the analysis of the high frequency response of the structure to identify the occurrence of abrupt anomalies. Distributed-plasticity non-linear fiber-based models in combination with experimental data from a full-scale reinforced concrete column test are used to point out current modeling techniques limitations. It was found that the numerical model was capable of reproducing the global and local response of the structure at a wide range of inelastic demands, including the occurrences of rebar ruptures. However, when abrupt sudden damage occurs, like rebar fracture, a high frequency pulse is detected in the accelerations recorded in the structure that the numerical model is incapable of reproducing. Since the occurrence of such pulse is fundamental on the detection of damage, it is proposed to add this effect to the simulated response before it is used for validation purposes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.223-240
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• 2006

Taking into account the geometrical and material nonlinearities, an ultimate behavior of reinforced concrete cooling tower shell in hyperbolic configuration is presented. The design wind pressures suggested in the guidelines of the US (ACI) and Germany (VGB), with or without the effect of internal suction, are employed in the analysis to examine the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of each design wind pressure. The geometrical nonlinearity is incorporated by the Green-Lagrange strain tensor. The nonlinear features of concrete, such as the nonlinear stress-strain relation in compression, the tensile cracking with the smeared crack model, an effect of tension stiffening, are taken into account. The biaxial stress state in concrete is represented by an improved work-hardening plasticity model. From the perspective of quality of wind pressures, the two guidelines are determined as highly correlated each other. Through the extensive analysis on the Niederaussem cooling tower in Germany, not only the ultimate load is determined but also the mechanism of failure, distribution of cracks, damage processes, stress redistributions, and mean crack width are examined.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제27권5호
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• pp.457-472
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• 2021

Reinforced concrete (RC) buildings in Taiwan have suffered failure from strong earthquakes, which was magnified by the non-ductile detailing frames. Inadequate reinforcement as a consequence of the design philosophy prior to the introduction of current standards resulted in severe damage in the column and beam-column joint (BCJ). This study establishes a finite element analysis (FEA) of the non-ductile detailing RC column, BCJ, and three-story building that was previously tested through a tri-axial shaking table test. The results were then validated to laboratory specimens having the exact same dimensions and properties. FEA simulation integrates the concrete damage plasticity model and the elastic-perfectly plastic model for steel. The load-displacement responses of the column and BCJ specimens obtained from FEA were in a reasonable agreement with the experimental curves. The resulting initial stiffness and maximum base shear were found to be a close approximation to the experimental results. Also, the findings of a dynamic analysis of the three-story building showed that the time-history data of acceleration and displacement correlated well with the shaking table test results. This indicates the FEA implementation can be effectively used to predict the RC frame performance and failure mode under seismic loads.

• 콘크리트학회논문집
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.345-356
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• 2004

다양한 압축 응력 상태에서의 콘크리트의 거동 특성을 나타내기 위한 소성 모델을 개발하였다. 응력 성분은 압축 상태에서 각각의 거동특성을 갖는 세 개의 직교 성분으로 분리하였다. 각 성분의 거동 특성을 독립적으로 나타내기 위하여 각 성분에 대한 독립적인 다중 파괴기.준을 이용하는 소성모델을 적용하였다. 각 파괴면은 실험결과에 근거하여 각 파괴기준에 대한 등가 소성 변형률에 의하여 정의하였다. 또한, 압축손상에 의한 체적팽창을 나타내기 위한 간단한 비상관 소성흐름법칙을 제안하였다. 제안된 모델은 다양한 재료 특성 및 응력 상태를 갖는 기존의 실험 결과들과 비교를 통하여 검증되었다. 이 비교는 기존의 소성모델보다 제안된 모델의 적용성이 우수함을 입증하고 있다.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.195-211
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• 2014

When strong seismic forces act on reinforced concrete structures, their beam-column connections are very susceptible to damage during the earthquake event. The aim of this numerical work is to evaluate the influence of the internal steel reinforcement array on the nonlinear response of a RC beam-column connection when it is subjected to strong cyclic loading -as a seismic load. For this, two specimens (extracted from an experimental test of 12 RC beam-column connections reported in literature) were modeled in the Finite Element code FEAP considering different stirrup's arrays. In order to evaluate the nonlinear response of the RC beam-column connection, the 2D model takes into account the nonlinear thermodynamic behavior of each component: for concrete, a damage model is used; for steel reinforcement, it is adopted a classical plasticity model; in the case of the steel-concrete bonding, this one is considered perfect without degradation. At the end, we show a comparison between the experimental test's responses and the numerical results, which includes the distribution of shear stresses and damage inside the concrete core of the beam-column connection; in the other hand, the effects on the connection of a low and high state of confinement are analyzed for all cases.