Two-dimensional X-ray CT image based meso-scale fracture modelling of concrete

By Wenyuan Ren, Zhenjun Yang, Rajneesh Sharma, Ch. Zhang, P. J. Withers. 2015

357 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Abstract Two-dimensional meso-scale finite element models with realistic aggregates, cement paste and voids of concrete are developed using microscale X-ray Computed Tomography images. Cohesive elements with traction–separation laws are pre-embedded within cement paste and aggregate–cement interfaces to simulate complex nonlinear fracture. Tension tests using a large number of images were simulated with statistical analysis. The very different load-carrying capacities and crack patterns demonstrate the effects of random distribution of phases. It is found that the tensile strength decreases as the void fraction increases, and the relative strength of cement paste and interfaces dominates the microcracking behaviour, which in turn affects macrocracking and load-carrying capacity.

Subfields: Civil and Structural Engineering, Mechanics of Materials

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/f5c55bb35254260dd3de1387108e4bc5f6a59eed

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In Civil and Structural Engineering

In Mechanics of Materials

Citations in the corpus

Meso-scale modelling of compressive fracture in concrete with irregularly shaped aggregates (2021, background): “properties of concrete play an important role in fracture process in concrete [9-14].”
Monte Carlo Simulations of Mesoscale Fracture of Concrete with Random Aggregates and Pores: a Size Effect Study (2015, methodology): “CIEs with different traction–separation softening laws are inserted inside the aggregates, inside the mortar, and on the aggregate-mortar interfaces, respectively, to simulate the complicated nonlinear fracture behaviour [23,34].”
Experimental Investigations of Fracture Process in Concrete by Means of X‐ray Micro‐computed Tomography (2016, background): “A similar mechanism of the crack occurrence in concrete was observed among others in [57].”
Discrete element method simulations of fracture in concrete under uniaxial compression based on its real internal structure (2018, background): “phenomenon in these materials (Bažant and Planas, 1997; Lilliu and Van Mier, 2003; Tejchman and Bobiński, 2013) is an extremely complex process because it consists of main macrocracks with various branches, complementary cracks and microcracks (Bažant and Planas, 1997; Ren et al., 2015; Skarz_yński ”