US EPA

6867827 

Journal Article 

Concrete fracture prediction using bilinear softening 

Roesler, J; Paulino, GH; Park, K; Gaedicke, C 

2007 

Yes 

Cement and Concrete Composites
ISSN: 0958-9465 

ELSEVIER SCI LTD 

OXFORD 

29 

4 

300-312 

10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2006.12.002 

WOS:000245841800006 

A finite element-based cohesive zone model was developed using bilinear softening to predict the monotonic load versus crack mouth opening displacement curve of geometrically similar notched concrete specimens. The softening parameters for concrete material are based on concrete fracture tests, total fracture energy (G(F)), initial fracture energy (G(f)), and tensile strength (f(t)'), which are obtained from a three-point bending configuration. The features of the finite element model are that bulk material elements are used for the uncracked regions of the concrete, and an intrinsic-based traction-opening constitutive relationship for the cracked region. Size effect estimations were made based on the material dependent properties (G(f) and f(t)') and the size dependent property (G(F)). Experiments using the three-point bending configuration were completed to verify that the model predicts the peak load and softening behavior of concrete for multiple specimen depths. The fracture parameters, based oil the size effect method or the two-parameter fracture model, were found to adequately characterize the bilinear softening model. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 

concrete; cohesive zone model; fracture energy; size effect; two-parameter fracture model