Mesomechanical analysis of concrete under loading that generates rotation of cracking

Abstract

Willam´s test has been often used to compare constitutive models which take into account induced anisotropy due to damage and cracking. This numerical test emulates the continuous rotation of the principal stress and deformation directions, with secondary cracks forming at inclined directions while original primary cracks aligned with the axes tend to close. However, a realistic verification of this type of behavior is limited by the absence of experimental results in the literature of concrete and other quasi brittle materials, which can be explained in part due to the complexity of practical difficulties in this kind of lab test. As a first way to cover this gap, this paper presents numerical results of a concrete meso-structural model under imposed deformations at the boundary similar to the Willam’s test. The results presented include the evolution of average stress components over the sample, cracking state, etc. Generally speaking, the results obtained agree well with the predictions of advanced continuum-type anisotropic models, although some specific aspects are pointed out that would deserve further detailed study and discussion.