Finite element modeling of debonding failures in FRP-strengthened RC beams: A dynamic approach

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the finite element simulation of debonding failures in FRP-strengthened concrete beams. A key challenge for such simulations is that common solution techniques such as the Newton–Raphson method and the arc-length method often fail to converge. This paper examines the effectiveness of using a dynamic analysis approach in such FE simulations, in which debonding failure is treated as a dynamic problem and solved using an appropriate time integration method. Numerical results are presented to show that an appropriate dynamic approach effectively overcomes the convergence problem and provides accurate predictions of test results.