Numerical Simulations of Rate/Time Effects in Concrete

Abstract

Structural response of concrete strongly depends on the nature of applied loads. Time varying loads can induce rate/time effects in concrete like increasing strength (rate effect) or basic creep deformation (under sustained loads). In this paper we present a computational approach that numerically simulates concrete mesostructure like a two-phase material. Each material phase is represented by continuum and interface finite elements which allow to track the crack trajectories under different loading scenarios. A specific rate-dependent interface constitutive law is included in the model in order to capture the rate/time effects and their incidence in the global structural response of the specimen.