Engineering Mechanics

Proceedings Vol. 12 (2006)

ENGINEERING MECHANICS 2006

Copyright © 2006 Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague

 

M. Vořechovský, D. Matesová
pages 434 - +15p., full text

We attempt at identifying, studying and modeling possible sources of size effects in concrete structures both separately and brought together. We are particularly motivated by an interplay of several identified scaling lengths stemming from material, boundary conditions and geometry. We model well published results on direct tensile tests of dog-bone specimens with rotating boundary conditions performed by van Vliet and van Mier by methods of stochastic nonlinear fracture mechanics. Using the numerical example, we document how different sources of size effects on strength can interact and result in relatively complex processes in quasibrittle failure. The presented study documents the well known fact that an experimental determination of material parameters (needed for rational and safe design of structures) is very difficult for quasibrittle materials such as concrete. ´

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