• Computers and Concrete
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.61-76
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• 2004

The paper is devoted to present the Continuum Strong Discontinuity Approach (CSDA) and to examine its capabilities for modeling cracking of concrete. After introducing the main ingredients of the CSDA, an isotropic continuum damage model, which distinguishes tension and compression states, is used to implicitly induce a projected traction separation-law that rules the cracking phenomena. Criteria for onset and propagation of material failure and specific finite elements with embedded discontinuities are also briefly sketched. Finally, some representative numerical simulations of cracking, in plain and reinforced concrete specimens, using the CSDA are presented.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.67-82
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• 2007

The discrete crack-concept is applied to study the 3D propagation of tensile-dominated failure in plain concrete. To this end the Partition of Unity Finite Element Method (PUFEM) is utilized and the strong discontinuity approach is followed. A consistent linearized implementation of the PUFEM is combined with a predictor-corrector algorithm to track the crack path, which leads to a robust numerical description of concrete cracking. The proposed concept is applied to study concrete failure during the PCT3D test and the predicted numerical results are compared to experimental data. The proposed numerical concept provides a clear interface for constitutive models and allows an investigation of their impact on concrete cracking under 3D conditions, which is of significant scientific interests to interpret results from 3D experiments.

• Architectural research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2022

Irregularities in the structure are crucial factors in screening structural vulnerability under extreme loadings. Numerical analyses were carried out considering wind and seismic loadings for four structures with discrete irregularity: continuous and discontinuous beams with varied story levels, and L-shaped irregular buildings. Structural responses such as maximum displacements, bending moments, axial forces, torsions, and story drifts are evaluated as per the criteria and limits defined by ACI 318. The outcomes indicate that the frame system with beam discontinuity on the upper half of the height exhibits the best structural performance. The results also indicate that the asymmetrical design of the L-shaped model makes it more susceptible to damage when subjected to strong lateral loading conditions.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.283-288
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• 2017

A spot welded joint is modeled using 3-D finite elements with embedded strong discontinuities. The spot weld is represented by a special cohesive law on the embedded discontinuity surface, instead of meshing its geometry. This strategy naturally eliminates the need of adaptive FEM meshes fitting the local geometry of the spot weld. Mesh independent solutions are guaranteed by explicitly modeling the detailed shape of the spot weld, which is in contrast with the exiting approach using point constraints for the spot weld.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.375-388
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• 2008

Crack opening governs many transfer properties that play a pivotal role in durability analyses. Instead of trying to combine continuum and discrete models in computational analyses, it would be attractive to derive from the continuum approach an estimate of crack opening, without considering the explicit description of a discontinuous displacement field in the computational model. This is the prime objective of this contribution. The derivation is based on the comparison between two continuous variables: the distribution if the effective non local strain that controls damage and an analytical distribution of the effective non local variable that derives from a strong discontinuity analysis. Close to complete failure, these distributions should be very close to each other. Their comparison provides two quantities: the displacement jump across the crack [U] and the distance between the two profiles. This distance is an error indicator defining how close the damage distribution is from that corresponding to a crack surrounded by a fracture process zone. It may subsequently serve in continuous/discrete models in order to define the threshold below which the continuum approach is close enough to the discrete one in order to switch descriptions. The estimation of the crack opening is illustrated on a one-dimensional example and the error between the profiles issued from discontinuous and FE analyses is found to be of a few percents close to complete failure.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.522-531
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• 2002

In order to study the thermal-hydraulic behavior of the cable-in-conduit-conductor (CICC), a numerical model has been developed. In the model, the high heat transfer approximation between superconducting strands and supercritical helium is adopted. The strong coupling of heat transfer at the front of normal zone generates a contact discontinuity in temperature and density. In order to obtain the converged numerical solutions, a moving mesh method is used to capture the contact discontinuity in the short front region of the normal zone. The coupled equation is solved using the finite element method with the artificial viscosity term. Details of the numerical implementation are discussed and the validation of the code is performed for comparison of the results with thse of GANDALF and QSAIT.

• Bulletin of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.1-10
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• 1986

A container ship, due to wide hatch openings, has characteristics of poor torsional rigidity, strong coupling of horizontal-torsional modes and significant discontinuity in the longitudinal variation of hull sections. In the mathematical formulation of the problem the hull is modeled as a beam and the transfer matrix method is utilized. The cross decks between cargo hatch opening are separated from the main hull and regarded as equivalent springs restraining torsion of hull. The effect of shear deformation of ship-side plating on torsion is taken into account in addition to St. Venant's and bending torsional rigidities. Compatibility requirements at cross section discontinuity are approximately considered. Developing the practical calculation procedure and the computer programs for application to an actual ship, some parametric studies on modeling methods of the cross deck, the compatibility condition, added-mass center etc. are out for the purpose of comparison.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.111-127
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• 2019

In this paper, we present a 2D multi-scale coupling computation procedure for localized failure. When modeling the behavior of a structure by a multi-scale method, the macro-scale is used to describe the homogenized response of the structure, and the micro-scale to describe the details of the behavior on the smaller scale of the material where some inelastic mechanisms, like damage or plasticity, can be defined. The micro-scale mesh is defined for each multi-scale element in a way to fit entirely inside it. The two scales are coupled by imposing the constraint on the displacement field over their interface. An embedded discontinuity is implemented in the macro-scale element to capture the softening behavior happening on the micro-scale. The computation is performed using the operator split solution procedure on both scales.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.55-78
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• 2022

The main aim of this paper is the identification of the model parameters for the constitutive model of concrete and concrete-like materials capable of representing full set of 3D failure mechanisms under various stress states. Identification procedure is performed taking into account multi-scale character of concrete as a structural material. In that sense, macro-scale model is used as a model on which the identification procedure is based, while multi-scale model which assume strong coupling between coarse and fine scale is used for numerical simulation of experimental results. Since concrete possess a few clearly distinguished phases in process of deformation until failure, macro-scale model contains practically all important ingredients to include both bulk dissipation and surface dissipation. On the other side, multi-scale model consisted of an assembly micro-scale elements perfectly fitted into macro-scale elements domain describes localized failure through the implementation of embedded strong discontinuity. This corresponds to surface dissipation in macro-scale model which is described by practically the same approach. Identification procedure is divided into three completely separate stages to utilize the fact that all material parameters of macro-scale model have clear physical interpretation. In this way, computational cost is significantly reduced as solving three simpler identification steps in a batch form is much more efficient than the dealing with the full-scale problem. Since complexity of identification procedure primarily depends on the choice of either experimental or numerical setup, several numerical examples capable of representing both homogeneous and heterogeneous stress state are performed to illustrate performance of the proposed methodology.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.401-416
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• 2008

The paper presents a methodology to model three-dimensional reinforced concrete members by means of embedded discontinuity elements based on the Continuum Strong Discontinuous Approach (CSDA). Mixture theory concepts are used to model reinforced concrete as a 3D composite material constituted of concrete with long fibers (rebars) bundles oriented in different directions embedded in it. The effects of the rebars are modeled by phenomenological constitutive models devised to reproduce the axial non-linear behavior, as well as the bond-slip and dowel action. The paper presents the constitutive models assumed for the components and the compatibility conditions chosen to constitute the composite. Numerical analyses of existing experimental reinforced concrete members are presented, illustrating the applicability of the proposed methodology.