A 3D Particle Model For Reinforced Concrete Fracture Aanalysis

                                
==Abstract==

A numerical model for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures must incorporate tools capable of representing the formation and propagation of cracks, their effect on the overall behavior of the structure, and the interaction between reinforcement and concrete. Detailed rigid particle models (PM) that take directly into consideration the physical mechanisms and the influence of the material aggregate structure have gained relevance and have shown to be able to predict, evaluate and understand cracking phenomena in concrete. The 3D particle models correlate well with experimental results from concrete specimens, particularly in terms of elastic response, peak values, fracture process and fracture location. This paper presents the 3D explicit formulation of steel reinforcement bars using discrete elements with cylindrical geometry. The incorporation of steel elements allows the particle model to be applied to the analysis of fracture in reinforced concrete structures. The rigid elements of cylindrical geometry interact with the concrete, modeled by spherical particles, through a contact interface. The model is validated in three-point beam bending tests, without transverse steel reinforcement. The numerical results obtained show that the proposed model correctly simulates the actual behavior, representing the fracture evolution process and the load displacement relationship for different steel ratios.

== Full Paper ==
<pdf>Media:Draft_Sanchez Pinedo_285608028pap_265.pdf</pdf>