Meso-scale modelling of the size effect on the fracture process zone of concrete

The size effect on the fracture process zone in notched and unnotched three point bending tests of concrete beams is analysed by a meso-scale approach. Concrete is modelled at the meso-scale as stiff aggregates embedded in a soft matrix separated by weak interfaces. The mechanical response of the three phases is modelled by a discrete lattice approach. The model parameters were chosen so that the global model response in the form of load-crack mouth opening displacement curves were in agreement with experimental results reported in the literature. The fracture process zone of concrete is determined numerically by evaluating the average of spatial distribution of dissipated energy densities of random meso-scale analyses. The influence of size and boundary conditions on the fracture process zone in concrete is investigated by comparing the results for beams of different sizes and boundary conditions.     

Lattice type of fracture model for concrete

Concrete is usually described as a three-phase material, where matrix, aggregate and interface zones are distinguished. The beam lattice model has been applied widely by many investigators to simulate fracture processes in concrete. Due to the extremely large computational effort, however, the beam lattice model faces practical difficulties. In our investigation, a new lattice called generalized beam (GB) lattice is developed to reduce computational effort. Numerical experiments conducted on a panel subjected to uniaxial tension show that the GB lattice model can reproduce the load–displacement curves and crack patterns in agreement to what are observed in tests. Moreover, the effects of the particle overlay on the fracture process are discussed in detail.     

基于微-细观机理的混凝土疲劳损伤本构模型

该文致力于混凝土疲劳损伤发展机理的微细观解释. 以速率过程理论为基础,通过考虑裂纹断裂过程区中的水分子动力作用,在细观尺度上建立了具有物理机理的疲劳损伤能量耗散表达式. 结合细观随机断裂模型,以宏观损伤力学为框架,建立了疲劳损伤演化方程. 通过数值模拟,计算了单轴受拉时的疲劳损伤演化以及不同加载幅度下的疲劳寿命. 与相关试验结果的对比显示出该文模型能够很好地表现混凝土材料的疲劳损伤演化过程.      

THE FATIGUE CONSTITUTIVE MODEL OF CONCRETE BASED ON MICRO-MESO MECHANICS

该文致力于混凝土疲劳损伤发展机理的微细观解释. 以速率过程理论为基础,通过考虑裂纹断裂过程区中的水分子动力作用,在细观尺度上建立了具有物理机理的疲劳损伤能量耗散表达式. 结合细观随机断裂模型,以宏观损伤力学为框架,建立了疲劳损伤演化方程. 通过数值模拟,计算了单轴受拉时的疲劳损伤演化以及不同加载幅度下的疲劳寿命. 与相关试验结果的对比显示出该文模型能够很好地表现混凝土材料的疲劳损伤演化过程.     

Tensile failure of micro-concrete: from mechanical tests to FE meso-model with the help of X-ray tomography

In this work, concrete is studied at meso-scale (aggregates, macro-pores and mortar matrix), where the local failure mechanisms are known to drive the macroscopic behaviour of the material. In order to highlight the impact of the mechanical and morphological properties of each phase (along with their interfaces), micro-concrete specimens are prepared with rather small dimensions compared to the size of the heterogeneities. X-ray tomography is used to reliably obtain the morphology of the heterogeneous meso-structure, which is then given as an input to a 3D FE meso-model with enhanced discontinuities. A uniaxial tensile numerical simulation is performed as a first application. To validate the numerical model, a uniaxial tensile test of the same micro-concrete specimen is performed inside the X-ray scanner and the in-situ evolution of the micro-structure is followed. Thus, both a direct validation of the model and a valuable insight of the 3D fracture mechanisms while the load progresses are obtained. After identification of the numerical parameters, comparison of experimental and numerical results reveals the capability of the meso-model to reproduce the actual material response (in terms of macroscopic strength, Young’s modulus and fracture patterns), with the explicit representation of the meso-scale heterogeneities being its key feature. To further challenge the meso-model, a new morphology coming from an X-ray scan of another characteristic micro-concrete specimen is introduced and its macroscopic behaviour is computed without a priori numerical identification. Starting from an X-ray scan in meso-scale, it is shown that the 3D meso-model is capable to predict the macroscopic behaviour and the failure patterns of the material.

     

混凝土单轴受拉的非局部本构模型

混凝土受拉本构行为存在很强的局部软化现象,使得单轴受拉试验无法给出应力-应变关系,而只能给出应力-位移关系。本文根据内变量理论和等效应变假设建立了基于真实应变的混凝土单轴受力本构方程,并根据Weibull分布可以描述混凝土等脆性材料断裂过程的试验现象,建立了关于弹性应变的损伤演化规律。然后,通过假设平均应变与真实弹性应变的函数关系,在应力-平均应变的本构关系中采用平均弹性应变以描述其非局部行为,而在材料的损伤演化规律中采用真实弹性应变以描述其局部行为,由此建立了单轴受拉荷载条件下的非局部本构模型。最后,对一个单调受拉试验和一个反复受拉试验的仿真结果表明所提出的非局部本构模型可以准确地模拟试验结果。     

受拉钢筋混凝土构件破坏过程中的等间距裂缝形成机理

采用三维真实材料破坏过程分析RFPA3D(Three-Dimension Realistic Failure Process Anal-ysis)系统,先对受拉钢筋混凝土构件在轴向拉伸作用下的破坏过程进行了数值试验研究,并与相应的实验结果进行了比较,数值试验得到的结果都与实验吻合的较好.并在此验证基础上利用RFPA系统着重分析了混凝土及钢筋在拉伸条件下的破坏过程中的应力分布情况过程及破坏机理.数值试验结果表明,受拉钢筋混凝土结构破坏过程中存在“等间距裂缝现象“,并通过破坏分析再现了裂缝形成、加密直至饱和的演化过程.本文还用三维程序,通过多个不同混凝土厚度钢筋混凝土构件的数值试验,研究了混凝土厚度对裂缝数及裂缝间距的影响,进一步发现饱和裂缝间距与混凝土厚度之间存在正比关系.随混凝土保护层厚度的增加而增大,裂缝数量随混凝土保护层厚度的增加而减少.     

Discrete fracture modeling of asphalt concrete

A heterogeneous fracture approach is presented for modeling asphalt concrete that is composed of solid inclusions and a viscous matrix, and is subjected to mode-I loading in the fracture test configuration. A heterogeneous fracture model, based on the discrete element method (DEM), is developed to investigate various fracture toughening mechanisms of asphalt materials using a high-resolution image processing technique. An energy-based bilinear cohesive zone model is used to model the crack initiation and propagation of materials, and is implemented as a user-defined model within the discrete element method. Experimental fracture tests are performed to investigate various fracture behavior of asphalt concrete and obtain material input parameters for numerical models. Also, bulk material properties are necessary for each material phase for heterogeneous numerical models; these properties are determined by uniaxial complex modulus tests and indirect tensile strength tests. The main objective of this study is to integrate the experimental tests and numerical models in order to better understand the fracture mechanisms of asphaltic heterogeneous materials. Experimental results and numerical simulations are compared at different test conditions with excellent agreement. The heterogeneous DEM fracture modeling approach has the potential capability to understand various crack mechanisms of quasi-brittle materials.     

基于一类非局部宏-微观损伤模型的混凝土典型试件力学行为模拟

混凝土是一类典型的准脆性材料, 其受力过程中的非线性分析与裂纹模拟依然是具有挑战性的问题. 经典的断裂力学与损伤力学分别从间断与连续的视角对裂纹拓扑进行了描述, 是早期人们研究固体破坏问题的有力工具. 21世纪以来, 相场理论和近场动力学在预测裂纹的萌生、扩展与非线性分析方面取得了重要的进展. 最近, 结合统一相场理论与近场动力学的基本思想, 发展了一类非局部宏-微观损伤模型. 该模型引入物质点偶的概念来刻画由于变形引起的微细观损伤, 对微细观损伤在作用域中进行加权平均得到定量描述物质不连续程度的拓扑损伤. 通过具有物理机制的能量退化函数, 将拓扑损伤嵌入到连续介质-损伤力学的框架中, 这使得该模型在进行非线性分析的同时可以自然地进行裂纹模拟, 而毋须预设初始裂纹与裂纹扩展路径. 本文考虑细观物理参数的空间变异性, 采用非局部宏-微观损伤模型进行混凝土试件受力全过程的精细化模拟. 通过一维建模标定模型细观参数, 并探讨了细观参数与混凝土材料细观物理-几何特性之间的内在关联, 在此基础上采用二维模型进行精细化分析. 进而, 考察了材料参数空间变异性对混凝土单轴受拉试件和带缺口三点弯曲试件力学行为的重要影响. 本文的研究工作为非局部宏-微观损伤模型细观参数的试验标定与复杂应力状态下混凝土等准脆性材料的非线性力学行为研究提供了有意义的参考.      

多轴加载下混凝土细观破坏模拟的强度准则探讨

实际工程结构中混凝土材料大多处于双轴或三轴的复杂应力状态,已有的细观力学数值研究工作大多针对单轴加载问题,对于双轴或者三轴加载条件下混凝土破坏模拟的研究相对较少。复杂受力条件下的混凝土材料破坏模拟中,细观组分强度准则选取的合理与否将成为混凝土破坏模式及宏观力学性能数值研究准确和成功与否的关键。本文旨在探讨单轴强度准则,如最大拉应变准则在多轴加载条件下混凝土破坏过程研究中运用的合理性。鉴于此,首先在细观尺度上建立了混凝土试件的二维随机骨料模型,分别采用弹性损伤本构关系模型及塑性损伤本构关系模型来描述细观组分(即砂浆基质)的力学性能,对双轴加载条件下混凝土的细观破坏过程进行数值模拟,对比了单轴强度准则和多轴强度准则下混凝土试件破坏路径及宏观应力-应变关系的差异。数值结果表明,简单的单轴强度准则难以反映双轴加载下混凝土内部应力状态的复杂性,不宜采用单轴强度准则来描述多轴加载下混凝土的破坏行为。     

Modelling of the plastic flow of trip-aided multiphase steel based on an incremental mean-field approach

An incremental mean-field model is developed for the prediction of transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) in multiphase steel. The partitioning of strain between softer and harder constituents is computed based on an elastic-plastic Mori–Tanaka approach that accounts for the progressive transformation of austenite into martensite. The latter transformation is predicted using an energy-balance criterion that is formulated at the level of individual austenite grains. The model has been tested against experimental data. Macroscopic stress-strain curves and rate of martensite formation have been measured on sheet samples subjected to various loading modes: uniaxial tension, simple shear, and (in-plane) uniaxial compression. These experiments were performed at 20 °C and the uniaxial tensile test was repeated at ?30 °C. The mean-field model produces fair predictions of the macroscopic hardening resulting from TRIP on the condition that a sufficient proportion of the load is carried by the very hard martensite inclusions. Such prediction implies that one accounts for the stress heterogeneity across the ferrite-based matrix. At the same time, the model reproduces the elastic lattice strains and the plastic elongation which are measured within the phases by neutron diffraction and by image correlation in a scanning electron microscope, respectively. The model can be used in finite element simulations of forming processes which is illustrated in a study of necking of a cylindrical bar under uniaxial tension.     

混凝土多尺度应力响应方程及其数值模拟

针对混凝土的多相多尺度材料组成特征及其复杂力学响应问题, 首先, 根据混凝土中各组成材料的几何特征, 将C-S-H凝胶、硬化水泥浆体、砂浆及混凝土细观组成分别视为纳观、微观、亚细观和细观尺度上的复合材料, 并利用颗粒空间堆积方法, 重构了混凝土各尺度复合材料的简化几何模型; 其次, 基于重构的几何模型和等效夹杂理论, 通过等效刚度的升阶计算和应力响应的降阶计算, 建立各尺度复合材料应力响应之间的过渡关系, 推导混凝土多尺度应力响应方程, 并编制相应的计算程序; 最后, 以单轴压缩载荷作用为例, 数值计算载荷作用下混凝土各尺度复合材料中的应力响应, 分析骨料空间位置和相互作用以及水化产物刚度、几何形状和空间取向对其应力响应的影响规律. 结果表明, 单轴压缩载荷作用下, 混凝土细观组成中的应力分布并不均匀; 骨料颗粒之间的距离影响到混凝土中的应力分布, 其有效影响范围约为骨料粒径的6倍; 水泥水化产物的刚度、几何形状和空间取向是影响其应力分布的重要因素, 刚度越大, 所受应力越大, 与载荷作用方向的夹角越小, 长椭球形水化产物沿载荷作用方向的应力越大, 扁椭球形水化产物与之相反.      

Three-dimensional ductile fracture analysis with a hybrid multiresolution approach and microtomography

A modified-JIC test on CT (compact tension) specimens of an alloy (Ti-Modified 4330 steel) was carried out. The microstructure (primary and secondary inclusions) in the fracture process zone and fracture surface are reconstructed with a microtomography technique. The zig-zag fracture profile resulting from nucleation of microvoid sheets at the secondary population of inclusions is observed. Embedding the experimentally reconstructed microstructure into the fracture process zone, the ductile fracture process occurring at different length scales within the microstructure is modeled by a hybrid multiresolution approach. In combination with the large scale simulation, detailed studies and statistical analysis show that shearing of microvoids (the secondary population of voids) determines the mixed mode zig-zag fracture profile. The deformation in the macro and micro zones along with the interaction between them affects the fracture process. The observed zig-zag fracture profile in the experiment is also reasonably captured. Simulations can provide a more detailed understanding of the mechanics of the fracture process than experiments which is beneficial in microstructure design to improve performance of alloys.     

基于扩展有限元法的混凝土细观断裂破坏过程模拟

扩展有限元法（XFEM）是分析不连续力学问题（特别是断裂问题）的一种有效的数值方法。在常规的有限元位移模式中,基于单位分解的思想加入一个跳跃函数和渐进缝尖位移场来对不连续体附近的节点自由度进行局部加强,从而反映了位移的不连续性。介绍了扩展有限元的基本原理,给出了扩展有限元进行混凝土开裂及裂纹扩展的分析方法,最后采用扩展有限元法模拟了湿筛混凝土单轴拉伸作用下及WinklerL-型混凝土板的细观断裂破坏过程。分析了混凝土裂纹萌生、扩展的过程及破坏形态,数值结果与实验结果吻合良好。研究表明：扩展有限元法通过特定的位移模式,使裂纹两侧不连续位移场的表达独立于网格划分,能有效地模拟混凝土材料细观断裂破坏过程。     

Evaluation of nonlocal approaches for modelling fracture near nonconvex boundaries

Integral-type nonlocal damage models describe the fracture process zones by regular strain profiles insensitive to the size of finite elements, which is achieved by incorporating weighted spatial averages of certain state variables into the stress–strain equations. However, there is no consensus yet how the influence of boundaries should be taken into account by the averaging procedures. In the present study, nonlocal damage models with different averaging procedures are applied to the modelling of fracture in specimens with various boundary types. Firstly, the nonlocal models are calibrated by fitting load–displacement curves and dissipated energy profiles for direct tension to the results of mesoscale analyses performed using a discrete model. These analyses are set up so that the results are independent of boundaries. Then, the models are applied to two-dimensional simulations of three-point bending tests with a sharp notch, a V-type notch, and a smooth boundary without a notch. The performance of the nonlocal approaches in modelling of fracture near nonconvex boundaries is evaluated by comparison of load–displacement curves and dissipated energy profiles along the beam ligament with the results of meso-scale simulations. As an alternative approach, elastoplasticity combined with nonlocal and over-nonlocal damage is also included in the comparative study.     

Effective elastic moduli of triply periodic particulate matrix composites with imperfect unit cells

In many problems the material may possess a periodic microstructure formed by the spatial repetition of small microstructures, or unit cells. Such a perfectly regular distribution, of course, does not exist in actual cases, although the periodic modeling can be quite useful, since it provides rigorous estimations with a priori prescribed accuracy for various material properties. Triply periodic particulate matrix composites with imperfect unit cells are analyzed in this paper. The multiparticle effective field method (MEFM) is used for the analysis of the perfect and imperfect periodic structure composites. The MEFM is originally based on the homogeneity hypothesis (H1) (see for details [Buryachenko, V.A., 2001. Multiparticle effective field and related methods in micromechanics of composite materials. Appl. Mech. Rev. 54, 1–47]) of effective field acting on the inclusions. In this way the pair interaction of different inclusions is taken directly into account by the use of analytical approximate solution. For perfect periodic structures the hypothesis (H1) is enough for estimation of effective properties. Imperfection of packing necessitates exploring some additional assumption called a closing hypothesis. The next imperfections are analyzed. (A) The probability of location of an inclusion in the center of a unit cell below one (missing inclusion). (B) Some hard inclusions are randomly replaced by the porous (modeling the complete debonding) with some probability. At first, one obtains general explicit integral representations of the effective elastic moduli and strain concentrator factors depending on three numerical solutions: for the perfect periodic structure, for the infinite periodic structure with one imperfection, and for the infinite periodic structure with two arbitrary located imperfections. The method proposed is general; it is not limited by concrete numerical scheme. No restrictions were assumed on both the concrete microstructure and inhomogeneity of stress fields in the inclusions. The inclusions of one kind are assumed to be aligned. The problem (A) is solved at the level of numerical results obtained in the framework of the hypothesis (H1). For the problem (B) the numerical results are obtained if the elastic inclusions (for example hard inclusions) are randomly replaced by another inclusion (for example by the voids modeling the complete debonding). The mentioned problems are solved by three methods. The first one is a Monte Carlo simulation exploring an analytical approximate solution for the binary interacting inclusions obtained in the framework of the hypothesis (H1). The second one is a generalization of the version of the MEFM proposed for the analysis of the perfect periodic particulate composites and based on the choice of a comparison medium coinciding with the matrix. The third method uses a decomposition of the desired solution on the solution for the perfect periodic structure and on the perturbation produced by the imperfections in the perfect periodic structure. All three methods lead to close results in the considered examples; however, the CPU times expended for the solution estimation by Monte Carlo simulation differ by a factor of 1000.     

基于均匀化理论的混凝土宏细观力学特性研究

在细观层次上将混凝土视为由砂浆基质、骨料及其界面组成的三相复合材料,在此基础上,采用有限元方法,对混凝土弹性本构关系进行数值模拟,利用位移渐近展开技术和均匀化理论建立了多尺度力学框架下的有限元平衡方程,重点考察了单胞尺寸对宏观力学性能的影响,得到了相对最大骨料粒径的最小单胞尺寸,即5～10倍最大骨料粒径.作为例证,对混凝土三点弯梁进行了宏细观尺度数值仿真研究,结果表明:基于本文方法可以较好地反映混凝土的宏观力学行为.此外,由于骨料、砂浆的相互作用,应力分布呈现出宏观渐变平滑与细观局部突变的特征.     

基于声发射矩张量分析混凝土破坏的裂纹运动

从细观上看, 混凝土是一种由骨料、水泥浆基体、裂纹等组成的非均匀复合材料. 单轴准静态加载条件下, 应力应变曲线表现出明显的准脆性特征. 其变形破坏过程实质上是内部微裂纹产生、扩展和汇合的过程, 研究细观尺度的裂纹扩展演化将有助于深入了解混凝土的变形和破坏过程. 声发射作为一种物理检测方法可以获取材料内部细观损伤演化的物理信息. 本文基于声发射技术, 结合改进的时差定位算法和矩张量理论对声发射信号进行分析, 反演了混凝土巴西劈裂破坏中裂纹位置、裂纹类型以及裂纹面运动方向, 揭示了混凝土宏观拉伸破坏的细观裂纹扩展机制. 结果表明: 裂纹运动过程清晰地显示了混凝土内裂纹源首先在试件与载荷接触面附近产生, 之后聚集形成局部损伤区域, 并沿轴线向中心扩展(加载平面)以及裂纹从试件中间向表面扩展的动态过程(厚度方向); 裂纹运动体积可以作为裂纹形成、扩展过程中弹性能释放的度量, 初始裂纹成核时体积参数较小, 峰值载荷时, 裂纹运动体积最大达到$5.93\times10^{-4}$ mm$^{3}$; 混凝土宏观尺度的拉伸破坏在细观尺度上存在有拉伸裂纹、混合裂纹以及剪切裂纹; 拉伸裂纹最多, 占裂纹总数约为60%, 剪切裂纹最少, 约占裂纹总数的10%; 拉伸裂纹运动主导了试件的宏观劈裂破坏.      

Simulation of crack spacing using a reinforced concrete model with an internal length parameter

Summary A gradient-enhanced smeared crack model and bond-slip interface elements are utilized in finite element simulations of reinforced concrete. The crack model is rooted in an enhanced plasticity theory. It uses the Rankine failure surface dependent on an equivalent inelastic strain measure as well as on its Laplacian. As a result, finitely sized fracture process zones and realistic crack spacings are obtained. A reinforced concrete bar in uniaxial tension is analyzed to demonstrate the regularizing influence of the internal length parameter in the model and to evaluate the influence of the model parameters on the energy dissipation in multiple cracks. A comparison of numerical simulations with experimental results for a beam without shear reinforcement in four-point bending concludes the analysis. Received 4 November 1997; accepted for publication 23 April 1998     

The influence of porosity on the elastic response of homogeneous and structural composite media

Continuum theories of composites are employed to analyze the influence of inclusions and porosity on the elastic response of both homogeneous and laminated composite media. The general model analyzed consists of a periodic array of two perfectly bonded laminates; one of which consists of an elastic homogeneous material while the other is made up of a periodic array of cylindrical elastic inclusions that are distributed in another elastic matrix material. Several specific models are deduced as special cases. In all cases, porosity is simulated in the limit as the properties of the inclusions identically vanish. It is demonstrated that porosity plays a major role in the geometric dispersion of such media; in particular, it increases the arrival and rise times (spreading) of a propagating transient pulse. For the special case of elastic inclusions in a homogeneous matrix media, the present results correlate very well with existing experimental data and other approximate analyses.