Abstract:
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A finite element methodology for simulating the failure of High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete composites (HPFRC), with arbitrarily oriented short fibers, is
presented.
The composite material model is based on a micromorphic approach. Thus, using the framework provided by this theory, the body configuration space is described through
two kinematical descriptors. At the structural level, the displacement field represents the standard kinematical descriptor.
Additionally, a morphological kinematical descriptor, the micromorphic field, is introduced that describes the fibermatrix
relative displacement, or slipping mechanism of the bond, observed at the mesoscale level.
In this work, we address specific issues related to the numerical aspects involved in the computational implementation of the model. The developed numerical procedure is
based on a mixed finite element technique. The number of d.o.f.’s per node changes according with the number of fiber bundles simulated in the composite. Then, a specific solution scheme is proposed to solve the variable number of unknowns in the discrete model.
The HPFRC composite model takes into account the important effects produced by concrete fracture. A procedure for simulating quasi-brittle fracture is introduced into the
model. It is described in the paper.
The present numerical methodology is assessed by means of a selected set of experiments that prove its viability and
accuracy to simulate a number of mechanical phenomenon interacting at the macro and mesoscale and leading to failure of HPFRC composites. |