Abstract
Present research was dedicated to investigation of finite element size effect on deformation predictions of reinforced concrete bending members. Experimental beams have been modelled by commercial finite element soft- ware ATENA, using two main approaches for simulating tension-stiffening: stress-crack width (fracture mechanics approach) and average stress-average strain relationships. The latter approach uses the ultimate strain adjusted accord- ing to the finite element size. It was shown that the modelled post-cracking behaviour of the beams is dependent on the finite element mesh size. To reduce this effect, a simple formula has been proposed for adjusting the length of the descending branch of the constitutive relationship. Post-cracking behaviour of a reinforced concrete bridge girder has been investigated assuming different finite element mesh sizes. The analysis has shown that the proposed technique al- lows reducing the dependence of calculation results on the finite element size.
Highlights
Deformational behaviour of cracked reinforced concrete (RC) members is a complex process including a wide range of effects, such as, different strength and deformation proper-ties of steel and concrete, concrete cracking, tension-softening and tension-stiffening, bond slip between reinforcement and concrete, etc
Numerical techniques have been intensively progressing for last decades and commercial finite element (FE) softwares (MSC MARC, ABAQUS, DIANA, SBETA, ATENA, etc.) offer a useful tool for analysis of RC structures (Gribniak et al 2006, 2007; Mang et al 2009)
Kesler et al (1972) showed that the linear-elastic fracture mechanic model of sharp cracks was inadequate for concrete structures
Summary
Deformational behaviour of cracked reinforced concrete (RC) members is a complex process including a wide range of effects, such as, different strength and deformation proper-ties of steel and concrete, concrete cracking, tension-softening and tension-stiffening, bond slip between reinforcement and concrete, etc. Different methods have been utilised to study the response of structural components. The use of numerical methods to study these components has been used. The use of finite element (FE) analysis has increased due to progressing knowledge and capabilities of computer software and hardware (Gribniak et al 2006, 2008; Kaklauskas et al 2008). Numerical techniques have been intensively progressing for last decades and commercial FE softwares (MSC MARC, ABAQUS, DIANA, SBETA, ATENA, etc.) offer a useful tool for analysis of RC structures (Gribniak et al 2006, 2007; Mang et al 2009). Based on two main approaches of tension-stiffening, analysis of RC elements has been performed using FE package ATENA
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