An Algorithm to compute damage from load in composites

in Frontiers of Architecture and Civil Engineering in China (2011), 5(2), 180-193

We present a new method to model fracture of concrete based on energy minimisation. The concrete is considered on the mesoscale as composite consisting of cement paste, aggregates and micro pores. In this ... [more ▼]

We present a new method to model fracture of concrete based on energy minimisation. The concrete is considered on the mesoscale as composite consisting of cement paste, aggregates and micro pores. In this first step, the alkali-silica reaction is taken into account through damage mechanics though the process is more complex involving thermo-hygro-chemo-mechanical reaction. We use a non-local damage model that ensures the well-posedness of the boundary value problem (BVP). In contrast to existing methods, the interactions between degrees of freedom evolve with the damage evolutions. Numerical results are compared to analytical and experimental results and show good agreement. [less ▲]