Experimentation, numerical simulation and the role of engineering judgement in the fracture mechanics of concrete and concrete structures
article
Fracture mechanics plays a role in both structural engineering and materials engineering. The aim here is to improve understanding of the behaviour of structures and materials in the limit state. The use of numerical models can help improve the accuracy of our designs, but only if the certainty about material models improves. The models tend to become more detailed as the performance of computers increases. However, the question is, will this increased amount of detail help to improve our understanding, and improve the reliability of the numerical models. These questions are addressed in this paper. It is shown that through increasing the amount of detail, certain phenomena may be observed that seem to correspond to limits that are reached in practice as well. The example given is the limit reached when trying to fill a plane with circular aggregates. Next it is shown that certain fracture behaviours of concrete can be simulated, be it that a virtual world is created. The role of the experiment is evident. Another role for the experiment is in the development of bench-mark problems in structural engineering. These benchmarks also serve to improve the quality of numerical models.
TNO Identifier
329561
Source
Construction and Building Materials, 13, pp. 3-14.
Pages
3-14
Files
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