• Computers and Concrete
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2018

The possibilities of non-linear analysis of reinforced-concrete structures are under development. In particular, current research areas include structural analysis with the application of advanced computational and material models. The submitted article aims to evaluate the possibilities of the determination of material properties, involving the tensile strength of concrete, fracture energy and the modulus of elasticity. To evaluate the recommendations for concrete, volume computational models are employed on a comprehensive series of tests. The article particularly deals with the issue of the specific properties of fracture-plastic material models. This information is often unavailable. The determination of material properties is based on the recommendations of Model Code 1990, Model Code 2010 and specialized literature. For numerical modelling, the experiments with the so called "classic" concrete beams executed by Bresler and Scordelis were selected. It is also based on the series of experiments executed by Vecchio. The experiments involve a large number of reinforcement, cross-section and span variants, which subsequently enabled a wider verification and discussion of the usability of the non-linear analysis and constitutive concrete model selected.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.120-121
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• 2001

The purpose of this study is to investigate concrete flaw using seismic first arrival and various inversion method. Seismic wave propagation was calculated using finite element method in theoretical modelling and tomogram was made using various inversion methods in theoretical and experimental modelling. Five steps of seismic first arrival were selected from FEM results and these data were used to calculate seismic velocity section. According to the results, exact seismic first arrival picking method was proposed and experimental modelling was conducted.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.551-565
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• 2018

Experimental testing is considered the most realistic approach to obtain a detailed representation of the nonlinear behaviour of masonry-infilled reinforced concrete (RC) structures. Among other applications, these tests can be used to calibrate the properties of numerical models such as simplified macro-models (e.g., strut-type models) representing the masonry infill behaviour. Since the significant cost of experimental tests limits their widespread use, alternative approaches need to be established to obtain adequate data to validate the referred simplified models. The proposed paper introduces a detailed finite element modelling strategy that can be used as an alternative to experimental tests to represent the behaviour of masonry-infilled RC frames under earthquake loading. Several examples of RC infilled frames with different infill configurations and properties subjected to cyclic loading are analysed using the proposed modelling approach. The comparison between numerical and experimental results shows that the numerical models capture the overall nonlinear behaviour of the physical specimens with adequate accuracy, predicting their monotonic stiffness, strength and several failure mechanisms.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.933-961
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• 2015

Damage by high-speed impact fracture is a dominant mode of failure in several applications of concrete structures. Numerical modelling can play a crucial role in understanding and predicting complex fracture processes. The commonly used mesh-based Finite Element Method has difficulties in accurately modelling the high deformation and disintegration associated with fracture, as this often distorts the mesh. Even with careful re-meshing FEM often fails to handle extreme deformations and results in poor accuracy. Moreover, simulating the mechanism of fragmentation requires detachment of elements along their boundaries, and this needs a fine mesh to allow the natural propagation of damage/cracks. Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) is an alternative particle based (mesh-less) Lagrangian method that is particularly suitable for analysing fracture because of its capability to model large deformation and to track free surfaces generated due to fracturing. Here we demonstrate the capabilities of SPH for predicting brittle fracture by studying a slender concrete structure (column) under the impact of a high-speed projectile. To explore the effect of the projectile material behaviour on the fracture process, the projectile is assumed to be either perfectly-elastic or elastoplastic in two separate cases. The transient stress field and the resulting evolution of damage under impact are investigated. The nature of the collision and the constitutive behaviour are found to considerably affect the fracture process for the structure including the crack propagation rates, and the size and motion of the fragments. The progress of fracture is tracked by measuring the average damage level of the structure and the extent of energy dissipation, which depend strongly on the type of collision. The effect of fracture property (failure strain) of the concrete due to its various compositions is found to have a profound effect on the damage and fragmentation pattern of the structure.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.81-95
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• 2019

The unexpected seismic interaction of dry-assembled precast concrete frame structures typical of the European heritage with their precast cladding panels brought to extensive failures of the panels during recent earthquakes due to the inadequateness of their connection systems. Following this recognition, an experimental campaign of cyclic and pseudo-dynamic tests has been performed at ELSA laboratory of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission on a full-scale prototype of precast structure with vertical and horizontal cladding panels within the framework of the Safecladding project. The panels were connected to the frame structure by means of innovative arrangements of fastening systems including isostatic, integrated and dissipative. Many of the investigated configurations involved a strong frame-cladding interaction, modifying the structural behaviour of the frame turning it into highly non-linear since small deformation. In such cases, properly modelling the connections becomes fundamental in the framework of a design by non-linear dynamic analysis. This paper presents the peculiarities of the numerical models of precast frame structures equipped with the various cladding connection systems which have been set to predict and simulate the experimental results from pseudo-dynamic tests. The comparison allows to validate the structural models and to derive recommendations for a proper modelling of the different types of existing and innovative cladding connection systems.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.97-110
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• 2005

Rheological behaviour of fresh concrete is an important factor in controlling concrete quality. It is recognized that the measurement of the slump is not a sufficient test method to adequately characterize the rheology of fresh concrete. To further understand the slump measurement and its relationship to the rheological properties, an elasto-viscoplastic, 2-D axisymmetric finite element (FE) model is developed. The FE model employs the Bingham material model to simulate the flow of a slump test. An experimental program is carried out using the Slump Rate Machine (SLRM_II) to evaluate the finite element simulation results. The simulated slump-versus-time curves are found to be in good agreement with the measured data. A sensitivity study is performed to evaluate the effects of yield stress, plastic viscosity and cone withdrawal rate on the measured flow curve using the FE model. The results demonstrate that the computed yield stress compares well with reported experimental data. The flow behaviour is shown to be influenced by the yield stress, plastic viscosity and the cone withdrawal rate. Further, it is found that the value of the apparent plastic viscosity is different from the true viscosity, with the difference depending on the cone withdrawal rate. It is also confirmed that the value of the final slump is most influenced by the yield stress.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2006.05b
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• pp.633-636
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• 2006

Impact damage modeling of concrete under high strain rate loading conditions is investigated. A phenomenological penetration model that can account for complicated impact and penetration process such as the rate and loading history response of concrete, the microstructure-penetration interaction etc. is discussed. Constitutive law compatible with Second Law of thermodynamics and coupled damage and plasticity modelling based on continuum damage mechanics are also examined. The purpose of this paper is preliminarily to study with respect to impact and penetration models for concrete before the development of that model.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.413-432
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• 1999

A macro-element model is developed to account for shear deformation and bond slip of reinforcement bars in the beam-column joint region of reinforced concrete structures. The joint region is idealized by two springs in series, one representing shear deformation and the other representing bond slip. The softened truss model theory is adopted to establish the shear force-shear deformation relationship and to determine the shear capacity of the joint. A detailed model for the bond slip of the reinforcing bars at the beam-column interface is presented. The proposed macro-element model of the joint is validated using available experimental data on beam-column connections representing exterior joints in ductile and nonductile frames.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.19-43
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• 2014

A risk assessment framework for evaluating building structures is implemented in this study. This framework allows considering sources of uncertainty both on structural capacity and seismic demand. In particular randomness on seismic load, incident angle, material properties, floor mass and structural damping are considered; in addition the choice of fibre modelling versus plastic hinge model is also considered as a source of uncertainty. The main objective of this work is to study the contribution of these sources of uncertainty on the fragilities of steel and steel-reinforced concrete composite 3D building structures. The fragility curves are expressed in the form of a two-parameter lognormal distribution where vertical statistics in conjunction with metaheuristic optimization are implemented for calculating the two parameters.

• Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.61-78
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• 2023

Ontological knowledge modelling of epic texts, though being an established research arena backed by concrete multilingual and multicultural works, still suffers from two key shortcomings. Firstly, all epic ontological models developed till date have been designed following ad-hoc methodologies, most often combining existing general purpose ontology development methodologies. Secondly, none of the ad-hoc methodologies consider the potential reuse of existing epic ontological models for enrichment, if available. This paper presents, as a unified solution to the above shortcomings, the design and development of GOMME - the first dedicated methodology for iterative ontological modelling of epics, potentially extensible to works in different research arenas of digital humanities in general. GOMME is grounded in transdisciplinary foundations of canonical norms for epics, knowledge modelling best practices, application satisfiability norms, and cognitive generative questions. It is also the first methodology (in epic modelling but also in general) to be flexible enough to integrate, in practice, the options of knowledge modelling via reuse or from scratch. The feasibility of GOMME is validated via a first brief implementation of ontological modelling of the Indian epic Mahabharata by reusing an existing ontology. The preliminary results are promising, with the GOMME-produced model being both ontologically thorough and competent performance-wise.