Numerical model for composite structures with experimental confirmation

The paper briefly presents a numerical model for the simulation of composite structures. The main structure is modeled with two‐dimensional plane finite elements. The composite surface is modeled with two‐dimensional interface elements for the continuous connection simulation and modified beam elements for the discrete connection simulation. The applied material model’s primary purpose is the simulation of reinforced concrete structures. It includes the most important nonlinear effects of reinforced concrete behavior: yielding in compression and opening and propagation of cracks in tension, with tensile and shear stiffness of cracked concrete, as well as the nonlinear behavior of reinforced steel. It also includes nonlinear behavior of the composite surface and the connection elements. The model was confirmed in experimental tests of composite concrete Omnia slabs, which are in common usage. The achieved test results were compared with the results obtained through the developed numerical model.     

Determination of the bilinear stress‐crack opening curve for normal‐ and high‐strength concrete

An improved version of the method proposed to ACI committee 446 and to RILEM TC 187‐SOC to determine the fracture parameters of concrete is applied in this study to several mixtures of normal and high‐strength concretes. The results are processed with a C++ program developed by the authors to automatise the mathematical operations required to obtain the bilinear softening curve of concrete from the experimental results. Numerical simulations of the tests are also carried out using finite elements with an embedded cohesive crack. The comparison between numerical and experimental results confirms that the experimental and numerical procedures are appropiate for normal‐strength concretes and high‐strength concretes.     

Numerical model for dynamic analysis of masonry‐infilled steel and concrete frames

A numerical model for nonlinear dynamic analysis of planar masonry‐infilled concrete and steel frames strengthened with composites is briefly presented. The model is quite simple and it can simulate main nonlinear effects of these structures. Besides modelling of nonlinear behavior of concrete, steel, masonry, plaster and soil, it can simulate nonlinearities at contact surfaces, changes in structural geometry and construction of a structure over different time phases. The model is based on a relatively small number of material parameters and intended for practical application primarily. The model is verified by using the data of the performed shake‐table tests on masonry‐infilled steel and concrete frames. Numerical results show fairly good agreement with the experimental results. This shows the potential reliability of the developed numerical model for the analysis of planar masonry structures. However, further verifications of the model and corresponding computational software are most welcome.     

Finite element response sensitivity analysis using three‐field mixed formulation: general theory and application to frame structures

This paper presents a method to compute response sensitivities of finite element models of structures based on a three‐field mixed formulation. The methodology is based on the direct differentiation method (DDM), and produces the response sensitivities consistent with the numerical finite element response. The general formulation is specialized to frame finite elements and details related to a newly developed steel–concrete composite frame element are provided. DDM sensitivity results are validated through the forward finite difference method (FDM) using a finite element model of a realistic steel–concrete composite frame subjected to quasi‐static and dynamic loading. The finite element model of the structure considered is constructed using both monolithic frame elements and composite frame elements with deformable shear connection based on the three‐field mixed formulation. The addition of the analytical sensitivity computation algorithm presented in this paper extends the use of finite elements based on a three‐field mixed formulation to applications that require finite element response sensitivities. Such applications include structural reliability analysis, structural optimization, structural identification, and finite element model updating. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

型钢混凝土结构ANSYS数值模拟技术研究

采用ANSYS程序对6个型钢混凝土梁试件的受力性能进行非线性有限元数值分析,对型钢混凝土结构数值模拟中混凝土和钢材材料模型定义、有限元建模、钢筋单元生成及后处理等关键技术进行系统研究。着重对型钢混凝土粘结滑移性能的数值模拟技术进行了研究。采用由ANSYS程序单元库中非线性弹簧单元combination-39组成的三维连接单元模拟型钢混凝土在不同部位及不同方向上的界面相互作用,建议了非线性弹簧单元粘结力-滑移曲线与型钢混凝土粘结滑移本构关系的转换技术,并提出了生成非线性弹簧单元的实用方法。最终形成考虑粘结滑移的型钢混凝土数值模拟技术。型钢混凝土梁数值模拟结果与试验结果吻合较好,表明所建立型钢混凝土结构ANSYS数值模拟技术合理、可行,可适用于基于ANSYS程序的型钢混凝土结构有限元数值模拟和受力性能深入研究。     

Analysis of reinforced concrete plates subjected to impact employing the truss‐like discrete element method

The prediction of the response of reinforced concrete structures subjected to projectiles impact still presents open questions. These include the rate dependence of material properties, the interaction between concrete and steel reinforcement and the simulation of fracture and fragmentation. Because the appearance of discontinuities in the target structure is difficult to account using a continuum approach, the application of discrete models was developed as an appealing alternative. A version of the discrete model in which nodal masses are linked by an array of uniaxial elements, herein called discrete element method, is used in this study. This method was implemented in the system Abaqus to take advantage of its numerical and post‐processing capabilities. A reinforced concrete rectangular plate subjected to impact of a projectile is examined in detail. Comparisons between experimental and numerical results are shown with the aim of validating the proposed method.     

钢梁-钢筋混凝土柱梁柱中节点非线性有限元模拟

借助ANSYS有限元分析软件,对5个"梁贯通"式RCS梁柱中节点进行三维非线性有限元分析,并和试验结果相比较。分析中考虑材料非线性以及混凝土的开裂与压碎。对单元类型的选取、钢和混凝土材料模型的定义、整体有限元模型的建立、施加荷载、设置求解选项并求解等数值模拟技术进行了深入的研究。研究表明,通过合理设置参数,ANSYS有限元软件能够模拟RCS梁柱节点在静力荷载作用下的性能,并和试验结果吻合较好。     

Modeling steel fiber reinforced concrete: numerical immersed boundary approach and a phenomenological mesomodel for concrete‐fiber interaction

Steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) allows overcoming brittleness and weakness under tension, the main drawbacks of plain concrete. The influence of the fibers on the behavior of SFRC depends on their shape, length, slenderness, and also on their orientation and distribution into the plain concrete. The goal of this paper is to develop an ad hoc numerical strategy to account for the contribution of the fibers in the simulation of the mechanical response of SFRC. In the model presented, the individual fibers immersed in the concrete bulk are accounted for in their actual location and orientation. The selected approach is based on the ideas introduced in the immersed boundary (IB) methods. These methods were developed to account for 1D (or 2D) solids immersed in 2D (or 3D) fluids. Here, the concrete bulk is playing the role of the fluid and the cloud of steel fibers is acting as the immerse boundary (that is, a 1D structure in a 2D or 3D continuous). Thus, the philosophy of the IB methodology is used to couple the behavior of the two systems, the concrete bulk and fiber cloud, precluding the need of matching finite element meshes. Note that, considering the different size scales and the intricate geometry of the fiber cloud, the conformal matching of the meshes would be a restriction resulting in a practically unaffordable mesh. In the proposed approach, the meshes of the concrete bulk and fiber cloud are independent, and the models are coupled imposing displacement compatibility and equilibrium of the two systems. In the applications presented here, the concrete bulk is modeled using a standard nonlinear damage model. The constitutive model for the fibers is designed to account for the complex interaction between fibers and concrete. The fiber models are based on the previous investigations describing the concrete‐fiber interaction and its dependence on the factors identified to be relevant: shape of the fiber (straight or hooked) and angle between the fiber and crack plane. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flexural behavior of steel beams strengthened by carbon fiber reinforced polymer plates – Three dimensional finite element simulation

Debonding, as a mode of failure, is one of the major limitations when using externally bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) plates in strengthening of steel beams. In this work, mode of failure and flexural behavior of both steel and steel–concrete composite beams strengthened by different lengths of CFRP plates were numerically investigated. The effect of both splicing position (at mid-span and near supports) and CFRP plate ends configuration were studied. Three dimensional finite element analysis (3D FEA) was adopted to simulate the nonlinear behavior of these beams loaded under four point bending configuration. The present numerical analysis assisted by previously valuable experimental results found in the literature succeeded to predict the critical CFRP plate length at which, full efficiency of the adhesively bonded plate is achieved.     

基于钢板屈曲分析的双钢板-混凝土组合剪力墙轴压承载力计算方法

为了考虑钢板屈曲对双钢板-混凝土组合（DSCC）剪力墙的轴压承载力的影响,该文首先以4个组合墙的轴压试验为基础,采用ABAQUS建立DSCC剪力墙的有限元模型。模型中混凝土采用实体单元,钢板采用壳单元,剪力连接件采用非线性弹簧单元SpringA,并考虑了材料非线性和钢板初始缺陷。在验证有限元模型后,研究了不同参数对钢板屈曲的影响,得到了钢板屈曲应力的计算公式。分析结果表明:当钢板出现局部横向贯通屈曲时,破坏模式为屈曲位置的混凝土压碎;当钢板未发生屈曲时,破坏模式为钢板屈服;墙侧面钢板宽度较小时,侧面钢板不会发生屈曲。最后,基于钢板屈曲分析以及构件极限状态下的应力状态分析,提出了新的DSCC剪力墙的轴压承载力计算方法,引入了钢板屈曲的影响。结构表明:对比规范JGJ/T 380―2015采用的计算公式,该文提出的计算方法具有更高的精度和稳定性,可用于DSCC剪力墙的深入研究以及工程设计。     

Numerical study of the interfaces of 3D‐printed concrete using discrete element method

3D concrete printing is an additive manufacturing method which reduces the time and improves the efficiency of the construction process. Structural behavior of printed elements is strongly influenced by the properties of the material and the interface surfaces. The printing process creates interface surfaces between layers in the horizontal and vertical directions. The bond strength between layers is the most critical property of printed elements. In this paper, the structural behavior of printed elements is studied using the discrete element method. The material is modelled using discrete particles with bonding between them. A new discrete model of a multilayer geometry is presented to study the behavior of the interfaces of printed concrete. The layers are made up of randomly placed particles to simulate the heterogeneous nature of concrete. The numerical model is developed to simulate the flexural behavior of multilayer specimens. A four‐point flexural test is simulated considering the interface surfaces between layers. This numerical model provides relevant results to improve the behavior of this kind of structural elements. The aim of this work is to provide a discrete element model to predict the mechanical behavior of 3D concrete printed components.     

Modelling of reinforced‐concrete structures providing crack‐spacing based on X‐FEM,ED‐FEM and novel operator split solution procedure

In this work, we present a novel approach to the finite element modelling of reinforced‐concrete (RC) structures that provides the details of the constitutive behavior of each constituent (concrete, steel and bond‐slip), while keeping formally the same appearance as the classical finite element model. Each component constitutive behavior can be brought to fully non‐linear range, where we can consider cracking (or localized failure) of concrete, the plastic yielding and failure of steel bars and bond‐slip at concrete steel interface accounting for confining pressure effects. The standard finite element code architecture is preserved by using embedded discontinuity (ED‐FEM) and extended (X‐FEM) finite element strain representation for concrete and slip, respectively, along with the operator split solution method that separates the problem into computing the deformations of RC (with frozen slip) and the current value of the bond‐slip. Several numerical examples are presented in order to illustrate very satisfying performance of the proposed methodology. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nonlinear finite element modeling of concrete deep beams with openings strengthened with externally-bonded composites

This paper aims to develop 3D nonlinear finite element (FE) models for reinforced concrete (RC) deep beams containing web openings and strengthened in shear with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite sheets. The web openings interrupted the natural load path either fully or partially. The FE models adopted realistic materials constitutive laws that account for the nonlinear behavior of materials. In the FE models, solid elements for concrete, multi-layer shell elements for CFRP and link elements for steel reinforcement were used to simulate the physical models. Special interface elements were implemented in the FE models to simulate the interfacial bond behavior between the concrete and CFRP composites. A comparison between the FE results and experimental data published in the literature demonstrated the validity of the computational models in capturing the structural response for both unstrengthened and CFRP-strengthened deep beams with openings. The developed FE models can serve as a numerical platform for performance prediction of RC deep beams with openings strengthened in shear with CFRP composites.     

Effects of thermal creep of prestressed steel on post‐tensioned concrete slabs in and after fire

The effects of thermal creep of prestressed steel on post‐tensioned concrete slabs in and after fire were investigated based on an existing thermal creep model and calibrated parameters in this paper. A nonlinear finite element model was built up employing ABAQUS package, taking into account frictionless contact behaviour between prestressed steel tendons and surrounding concrete. The nonlinear material behaviour of concrete and prestressed steel at elevated temperatures was taken into account, where three material models for prestressed steel were adopted with or without considering thermal creep, and based on the model from EN 1992‐1‐2. The finite element model developed was verified against experimental results from the literature, showing that the model considering thermal creep was more accurate. Then the fire resistance period and responses of post‐tensioned concrete slabs in and after fire were investigated based on the verified model. Ignoring thermal creep underestimated the fire resistance period but overestimated the residual tendon stresses. The model from EN 1992‐1‐2 achieved nearly the same effects as the model considering thermal creep in fire but might yield inaccurate evaluation of residual tendon stresses. The model considering thermal creep worked well under fire and in the post‐fire conditions yielding reasonable predictions.     

Numerical modelling of concrete beams reinforced with pre-stressed CFRP

In this paper, a numerical simulation is presented on the behaviour of concrete beams, reinforced with pre-stressed CFRP. The numerical results are compared to experimental results. Nonlinear material behaviour is considered, namely: the inelastic compressive concrete behaviour, the elasto-plastic behaviour of steel reinforced bars, the bond-slip relationship between the concrete and the internal steel reinforced bars, the mode-II fracture interface between the concrete and the pre-stressed CFRP and concrete cracking. Cracking in concrete is modelled according to a discrete crack approach: micro-cracking is assumed to localize at fictitious cracks with initial zero width. Two different approximations are adopted: (i) the fictitious cracks are embedded within the finite elements, giving rise to a discrete strong discontinuity formulation and (ii) main cracks, similar to the experimentally observed, are introduced, using interface elements, along the element boundaries, since the beginning of the analysis. A non-iterative sequentially-linear approach is adopted in order to avoid convergence problems. The aim of the present analysis is to try to better understand the failure mechanisms found in the experimental tests. Despite the complexity of the multiple nonlinear aspects of the behaviour of the structure, it is concluded that the numerical results are similar and are close to those observed experimentally.     

Numerical simulation of reinforced concrete structures under impact loading

This study presents the performance of a combined finite‐discrete element method for prediction of the structural response of reinforced concrete beams under impact loading. A combination of finite and discrete element methods enables the modelling of the concrete and the reinforcement before the concrete cracking, as well as a discontinuous nature of the concrete caused by fracture and fragmentation under high impact loading. Discretization of the concrete with triangular finite elements is coupled with one‐dimensional reinforcing bars embedded inside the concrete finite elements. The cracking in the concrete activates the joint elements used to simulate the non‐linear behavior of both concrete and reinforcement. Numerical analysis based on experimental test data has been carried out to simulate the main features of the reinforced concrete beams impacted by free‐falling drop‐weights. A high level of accuracy was demonstrated in various comparisons between the experimental tests and the analysis results, including peak displacement, crack pattern, damage level and failure modes of reinforced concrete beams.     

Flexural behaviour of UHTCC‐layered concrete composite beam subjected to static and fatigue loads

As an engineered material, ultra‐high toughness cementitious composite (UHTCC) exhibits the characteristics of pseudo strain hardening and multiple cracking under uniaxial tension. It can be applied as the reinforcing and protective material of concrete structures. In this paper, static and fatigue flexural tests were carried out on UHTCC‐layered concrete composite beams, for which UHTCC layer was used on the tension side. Under both static and fatigue loads, plane section assumption was suitable for such composite beams, and a good bond strength was achieved between the two layers. For static specimens, the UHTCC layer enhanced the ductility of the concrete layer. While under cyclic loads, because of the reinforcing effect of UHTCC, more than one crack were formed in the concrete layer, which led to a ductile deformation. Furthermore, the fatigue damage process of the composite beam was analysed.     

A refined diffuse cohesive approach for the failure analysis in quasibrittle materials—part II: Application to plain and reinforced concrete structures

This work presents the numerical application of the diffuse cohesive interface model introduced in the Part I paper to the failure analysis of plain and reinforced concrete structures, subjected to complex loading conditions, inducing mixed‐mode fracture initiation and propagation. With the aim of capturing the interaction between concrete and steel reinforcements, the adopted fracture model is incorporated in a novel, more general numerical framework for the nonlinear analysis of reinforced concrete structures. Such a framework includes a newly proposed embedded truss model for the reinforcing bars, allowing them to be crossed by the neighboring propagating cracks. Comparisons with available experimental results are provided, assessing the reliability and the numerical accuracy of the proposed concrete model, with reference to plain specimens subjected to single‐crack propagation as well as to reinforced elements subjected to multiple cracking.     

Experimental Investigations of Fracture Process in Concrete by Means of X‐ray Micro‐computed Tomography

The paper describes investigation results on fracture in notched concrete beams under quasi‐static three‐point bending by the X‐ray micro‐computed tomography. The two‐dimensional (2D) and three‐dimensional image procedures were used. Attention was paid to width, length, height and shape of cracks along beam depth. In addition, the displacements on the surface of concrete beams during the deformation process were measured with the 2D digital image correlation technique in order to detect strain localisation before a discrete crack occurred. The 2D fracture patterns in beams were numerically simulated with the finite‐element method using an isotropic damage constitutive model enhanced by a characteristic length of micro‐structure. Concrete was modelled as a random heterogeneous four‐phase material composed of aggregate, cement matrix, interfacial transitional zones and air voids. The advantages of the X‐ray micro‐computed tomography were outlined.     

A new shear-flexible FRP-reinforced concrete slab element

In this paper, a simple shear-flexible rectangular layered FRP-reinforced concrete slab element is developed based on Mindlin–Reissner plate theory and Timoshenko’s composite beam functions for nonlinear finite element analysis of FRP-reinforced concrete slabs. The Timoshenko’s composite beam functions are developed for FRP-reinforced concrete slabs based on those for composite laminates. The plane displacement interpolation functions of a quadrilateral isoparametric element with drilling degrees of freedom are employed to describe the membrane effects and the bending effects of the slab element are represented by the rotation functions of the slab element derived from Timoshenko’s composite beam functions. Both geometric nonlinearity and material nonlinearity of the materials are included in the new element. The efficiency of the element for nonlinear finite element analysis of FRP-reinforced concrete slabs is validated by comparing the computed results of two numerical examples with those obtained from lab tests.