NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF FAILURE PATH FORMATION AND CRACK SEQUENCE IN RC WITH FULL AND LOCAL SHEAR ANISOTROPY

Abstract

An artificial crack device (ACD) is recently proposed to control crack localization. Behaviors of ACD-embedded beams, especially failure path formation and crack sequence, are complicated, due to the local shear anisotropy at ACD interface. Finite element analysis is used to analyze the problem. Fixed crack model with full degree of freedom in describing kinematics of the cracked element is employed because of the independence of principal stress and strain vectors. Explicit treatment of mode I softening and mode II aggregate interlock allows realistic crack behavior. Through the minimum potential energy in FEM, failure path of beam with shear anisotropy is simulated.