Paper number 847

A FINITE ELEMENT MODEL FOR SIZE EFFECT AND HETEROGENEITY IN CONCRETE STRUCTURES

Roque Luiz Pitangueira1 and Raul Rosas e Silva2

1Department of Structural Engineering -Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG
Av. do Contorno 842 - Belo Horizonte MG Brazil 30110-060 - roque@dees.ufmg.br
2Department of Civil Engineering - Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro -PUC-Rio
Rua Marquês de São Vicente 225 - Rio de Janeiro RJ Brazil 22453-900 - raul@civ.puc-rio.br

Summary A finite element model for nonlinear analysis of structures prone to brittle collapse, which occurs with strain localization on softening material is presented. The model introduces the heterogeneity in simplified manner to allow for size effect to be considered. The size of a basic cell and the randomness of its components are the required information for the simulation of equilibrium paths. The elements can contain a random mixture of the material components, in proportion to their volume ratio in the mixture. It is shown that the experimental results of size effect in three-point bending and Brazilian split-cylinder tests are satisfactorily verified by the proposed model, in a computationally efficient and simple manner.
Keywords concrete, size effect, heterogeneity, finite elements.

Theme : Industrial Applications ; Civil Engineering and Building Applications

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