Diffuse versus localized failure: Assessing the impact of concrete quality

Discontinuous bifurcation analysis in fracture energy-based gradient plasticity for concrete

On a common critical state in localized and diffuse failure modes

Discontinuous bifurcation analysis of thermodynamically consistent gradient poroplastic materials

In Algeria, lighthouses are an essential element of the maritime landscape and constitute a substantial part of the local historical and cultural heritage, marked by a great variety of styles, architecture, geometrical forms, and materials. The study presented falls into the general context of pre- and post-seismic conservation of Algerian lighthouses, since all these stone masonry buildings are situated in areas characterized by a medium–high seismic hazard. In the paper, a relevant example has been analyzed: the Bengut Lighthouse, which has been classified as “National Heritage” by the Algerian Ministry of Culture and has been severely damaged by the Boumerdès that occurred on 21 May 2003. After an overview of historical lighthouses in Algeria and their morpho-typological classification, the case study of the lighthouse at Cap Bengut is presented, showing the results of a detailed survey of the geometric and constructive features and of the actual cracking and damage pattern. First, based on the critical analysis of this knowledge framework, a preliminary qualitative evaluation of the seismic vulnerability has been made, analyzing and classifying the set of local and global failure modes coherently with the observed structural pathologies and damages. Then, numerical modeling has been implemented in TreMuri computer code, performing a set of pushover analyses. This allowed the investigation of the criticalities in the response of the building to seismic actions, characterization of the dynamic behavior, and comparison with the actual observed damages, which are discussed, providing an interpretation of the global and local failure modes. Based on the results of the visual assessment and numerical analysis, guidelines for the retrofitting intervention have been proposed, by considering, on the one hand, the objective of effectively mitigating the elements of vulnerability pointed out by the results and, on the other, the main principles of conservation and restoration. The presented study and its results, in perspective, are intended to provide a basis for developing risk and vulnerability analysis of typological classes of historical lighthouses at a large scale.

Dynamic response and failure mode of steel-concrete composite panels under low-velocity impact

SummaryIn this work, we present a discrete beam lattice model with embedded discontinuities capable of simulating rock failure as a result of propagating cracks through rock mass. The developed model is a two‐dimensional (plane strain) microscale representation of rocks as a two‐phase heterogeneous material. Phase I is chosen for intact rock part, while phase II stands for pre‐existing microcracks and other defects. The proposed model relies on Timoshenko beam elements enhanced with additional kinematics to describe localized failure mechanisms. The model can properly take into account the fracture process zone with pre‐existing microcracks coalescence, along with localized failure modes, mode I of tensile opening and mode II of shear sliding. Furthermore, we give the very detailed presentation for two different approaches to capturing the evolution of modes I and II, and their interaction and combination. The first approach is to deal with modes I and II separately, where mode II can be activated but compression force may still be transferred through rock mass which is not yet completely damaged. The second approach is to represent both modes I and II being activated simultaneously at a point where complete failure is reached. A novel numerical procedure for dealing with two modes failure within framework of method of incompatible modes is presented in detail and validated by a set of numerical examples. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In this paper, numerical simulations of reinforced mortar beams subjected to projectile impact are conducted by using the proposed 3-D Rigid-Body-Spring Model (RBSM) in order to investigate mechanisms of crack propagation and scabbing mode of concrete members under high-velocity impact. The RBSM is one of the discrete-type numerical methods, which represents a continuum material as an assemblage of rigid particle interconnected by springs. The RBSM have advantages in modeling localized and oriented phenomena, such as cracking, its propagation, frictional slip and so on, in concrete structures. The authors have already developed constitutive models for the 3D RBSM with random geometry generated Voronoi diagram in order to quantitatively evaluate the mechanical responses of concrete including softening and localization fractures, and have shown that the model can simulate cracking and various failure modes of reinforced concrete structures. In the target tests, projectile velocity is set 200m/s. The reinforced mortar beams with or without the shear reinforcing steel plates were used to investigate the effects of shear reinforcement on the crack propagation and the local failure modes. By comparing the numerical results with the test results, it is confirmed that the proposed model can reproduce well the crack propagation and the local failure behaviors. In addition, effects of the reinforcing plates on the stress wave and the crack propagation behaviors are discussed from the observation of the numerical simulation results. As a result, it was found that scabbing of reinforced mortar beams subjected to high velocity impact which is in the range of the tests is caused by mainly shear deformation of a beam.

Analyses of the notched tension tests of carbon steel show that ductile failure is initiated when the sum of flow stress and mean stress reaches the limit for the material, regardless of stress triaxiality. Therefore, this explicit critical stress condition could be a candidate criterion for local failure. An equation expressing the relation between stress triaxiality and critical strain was derived from the critical stress condition, and it was found that the critical strain diagram obtained by the equation nearly overlapped with that obtained by the conventional empirical equation. This suggests that the critical stress condition can be approximately determined if the critical strain diagram was obtained for a particular steel. The critical stress condition was consistent with the classical void nucleation theory, and the theory was incorporated into the void nucleation term of stress control in the Gurson–Tvergaard (GT) model—a well-known damage mechanics model for ductile failure. Since only the strain-controlled term is used in the recent GT model, herein, a finite element method (FEM) code was newly developed to implement the GT model with the stress-controlled term. Notched tension tests were analyzed with the critical stress condition using the developed code, and the analyses reproduced the failure behaviors and critical strains of the tests considerably well. These results strongly support the practicality of the stress-based criterion and demonstrate that ductile failure could be appropriately predicted by combining the GT model using the void nucleation term of stress control with the critical stress condition.

Design of steel-concrete composite panels under low-velocity impact: Local punching failure

The present work describes an elasto‐plastic constitutive formulation aimed at simulating the failure behavior of Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites (FRCCs). This proposal, based on the Microplane Theory and Smeared Crack Approach (SCA), assumes a hyperbolic maximum strength criterion for the cementitious matrix in terms of normal and shear (micro‐)stresses, evaluated on generally oriented planes (microplanes). A combination of an associated/non‐associated plastic flow rule in conjunction with a fracture energy‐based softening law is defined to complete the modeling approach. The Mixture Theory is applied with the aim of characterizing the fiber‐to‐concrete interactions, described by considering two fundamental interaction phenomena: bridging debonding effects and dowel actions. Numerical analysis of FRCC failure behavior at the constitutive level is performed. Particularly, the soundness and capabilities of this approach are assessed against experimental data from tensile, shear, and compressive tests on FRCC samples. Simple shear tests are also evaluated to analyze the influence of the microplanes approximation over the unit microplane hemisphere. Comparisons against a discontinuous zero‐thickness interface model are proposed. Numerical results also illustrate the capabilities of the proposed constitutive theory to reproduce brittle or localized failure modes in limit stress states through discontinuous bifurcation analysis.

A conjugate jointed rock mass (CJRM) is a rock mass with two sets of intersecting joints formed from intact rock under shear. Its mechanical properties and excavation-induced hazards of large underground caverns are different from those of common rock masses because of the unique geological origin thereof. To demonstrate numerically the excavation responses of CJRM, the ubiquitous-joint model is enhanced by consideration of the specific mechanical behaviors of the rock mass. In the enhanced model, CJRM is considered as the composite of columns of rock and two sets of weak planes of joints. The local coordinates, failure modes, and failure sequences of the rock columns and joints are redefined based on the composite characteristics of CJRM, and the failure criteria and plastic potential functions are accordingly modified. The enhanced model is verified numerically by triaxial compression tests and then employed to simulate the excavation of large underground caverns of a pumped storage power station in China. Results show that the modification of the local coordinate system, failure modes, and failure sequences made in the enhanced model is suited to the simulation of the mechanical behaviors of CJRM. Compared with the original ubiquitous-joint model, the enhanced model allows better predictions of the distribution of plastic zones and magnitudes of deformations in simulating underground excavations in CJRM and helps to assess the excavation-triggered hazards more accurately.

Prediction of impact induced failure modes in reinforced concrete slabs through nonlinear transient dynamic finite element simulation

Characterization of the Continuous Elastic Parameters of Porcine Vocal Folds

In-plane failure mechanisms and strength design of circular steel tubular Vierendeel truss arches with rectangular section

Perforation of carbon fiber reinforced plastic laminates struck transversely by hemispherical-nosed projectiles