A Numerical Study of Crack Mixed Mode Model in Concrete Material Subjected to Cyclic Loading

Area of Science:

• Civil Engineering
• Materials Science
• Computational Mechanics

Background:

• Quasi-brittle materials like concrete require robust simulation methods for crack propagation.
• Existing numerical methods often focus on monotonic loading, with less understanding of cyclic loading effects.
• Fracture properties of concrete under cyclic stress are crucial for structural integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To numerically simulate mixed-mode crack propagation in concrete under cyclic loading.
• To validate a cohesive crack approach within the scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) framework.
• To investigate the influence of damage accumulation on concrete behavior under cyclic stress.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) for numerical simulations.
• Employed a cohesive crack approach integrated with a constitutive concrete model's thermodynamic framework.
• Modeled benchmark crack-propagation examples under both monotonic and cyclic loading conditions.

Main Results:

• Numerical simulations showed good consistency with experimental measurements from existing literature.
• The damage accumulation parameter was identified as the most influential factor on load-displacement responses.
• The SBFEM approach effectively captured crack growth and damage accumulation patterns.

Conclusions:

• The proposed SBFEM-based method accurately simulates mixed-mode crack propagation in concrete under cyclic loading.
• The study highlights the critical role of damage accumulation in concrete's response to cyclic stress.
• This framework provides a valuable tool for further research into concrete fracture mechanics under cyclic conditions.