Adaptive Crack Modeling with Interface Solid Elements for Plain and Fiber Reinforced Concrete Structures.

Area of Science:

• Civil Engineering
• Computational Mechanics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Analyzing nonlinear behavior in cement-based structures requires accurate models and efficient algorithms.
• Capturing complex cracking in concrete necessitates robust computational approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an adaptive mesh processing technique for simulating plain and fiber-reinforced concrete structures.
• To enhance computational efficiency in analyzing the failure behavior of concrete.

Main Methods:

• A continuum interface element formulation was employed.
• An adaptive mesh processing technique was proposed, disintegrating the finite element mesh and adding degenerated solid elements.
• Simulations focused on plain and fiber-reinforced concrete structures.

Main Results:

• The proposed adaptive cracking model significantly reduces computational expense compared to traditional methods.
• The technique effectively simulates the progressive disintegration and failure behavior of concrete structures.
• Accurate analysis of nonlinear behavior and complex cracking phenomena was achieved.

Conclusions:

• The adaptive mesh technique offers a computationally efficient solution for analyzing concrete structures.
• This approach is suitable for simulating the failure mechanisms in both plain and fiber-reinforced concrete.
• The method provides a balance between physical reliability and computational performance.