2023 Volume 79 Issue 11 Article ID: 23-00190
This paper develops a three-dimensional (3D) mesoscale model of reinforced concrete beams with realistically shaped and sized coarse aggregates and simulates the 3D mesoscale fracture behavior similar to the experiments. The mesoscale model reflects the geometry and distribution of coarse aggregates in 3D as well as the 3D geometry of deformed-steel bars. The non-linear finite element analysis with a damage model is applied to simulate the crack propagation behavior in concrete composed of mortar and coarse aggregates. Numerical experiments are presented for reinforced concrete beams with and without shear reinforcements subjected to four-point bending. The results reveal that the 3D complicated fracture behavior can be simulated in mesoscale, and the comparison between the numerical and experimental results shows good agreement.
