Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study entails the appraisal of the constitutive models available for the non linear finite element analysis of reinforced concrete, using the DIANA finite element package and following generally accepted guidelines for non linear finite element analyses. The constitutive models considered are plasticity and total strain based (fixed and rotating crack) models. The appraisal consists of the analysis of various experiments performed on reinforced concrete beams that are governed by compressive, shear and tensile dominated failures. The investigation is not limited to the accuracy of the results obtained using these models but also of the consistency of the results obtained with regard to various mesh types and sizes, as well as a study of the individual influence of several material parameters. The intention of the study was to provide the reader with an indication of the performance capacity (accuracy and consistency) of the available constitutive models, where the notion of the use of the results obtained from non linear finite element analyses for design purposes is considered. The results obtained were varied. The models performed reasonably well in the compressive and tension dominated studies, with the importance of accurate material parameters being emphasized especially for the more advanced cementitious materials investigated. The total strain rotating crack model also showed a proclivity of simulating incorrect failure modes as well as exhibiting reluctance towards stress redistribution. All models used for the shear dominated study yielded mostly inaccurate and inconsistent results, but it was found that the four node quadrilateral element with selective reduced integration performed the best. The plasticity model did not capture shear failure well, and convergence was often not attained. The constant shear retention factor of the total strain fixed crack model was found to yield more detailed response curves for the smaller mesh sizes. The results of the tension dominated beams inspired more confidence in the models as quite accurate values were attained, especially by the plasticity model used. The ability of the available models to simulate realistic structural behaviour under various failure modes is very limited, as is evident from the results obtained. The development of a more advanced and robust model is required, which can provide consistently accurate results and failure modes, and even ‘anticipate’ potential failure modes not considered by the user.

The singular solutions for linear elastostatics at corners are essential in both theory and computation. In this thesis, we seek new singular solutions for corners with the fixed (displacement), the free stress (traction) boundary conditions, and their mixed types, and to explore their corner singularity and provide the algorithms and error estimates in detail. The singular solutions of linear elastostatics are derived, and a number of new models of corner and crack singularity are proposed. Effective numerical methods, such as the collocation Trefftz methods (CTM), the method of fundamental solutions (MFS), the method of particular solutions (MPS) and their combinations: the so called combined method, are developed. Such solutions are useful to examine other numerical methods for singularity problems in linear elastostatics. This thesis consists of three parts, Part I: Basic approaches, Part II: Advanced topics, and Part III: Mixed types of displacement and traction conditions. Contents of Parts I and II have been published in [47,82]. In Part I, the collocation Trefftz methods are used to obtain highly accurate solutions, where the leading coefficient has 14 (or 13) significant digits by the computation with double precision. In part II, two more new models (symmetric and anti-symmetric) of interior crack singularities are proposed, for the corner and crack singularity problems, the combined methods by using many fundamental solutions, but by adding a few singular solutions are proposed. Such a kind of combined methods is significant for linear elastostatics with corners (i.e., the L-shaped domain), because the singular solutions can only be obtained by seeking the power £hk of r£hk numerically. Hence, only a few singular solutions used may greatly simplify the numerical algorithms; Part III is a continued study of Parts I and II, to explore mixed type of displacement and free traction boundary conditions. To our best knowledge, this is the first time to provide the particular solutions near the corner with mixed types of boundary conditions and to report their numerical computation with different boundary conditions on the same corner edge in linear elastostatics. This thesis explores corner singularity and its numerical methods, to form a systematic study of basic theory and advanced computation for linear elastostatics.

Die Arbeit widmet sich der Simulation und der Prognose des Materialverhaltens des Hochleistungsverbundwerkstoffes Textilbeton unter Zugbeanspruchungen. Basierend auf einer hierarchischen mechanischen Modellbildung (Multi-Skalen-Analyse) werden die Tragmechanismen des Verbundwerkstoffes auf drei Strukturebenen abgebildet. Damit lassen sich die den Verbundwerkstoff charakterisierenden mechanischen Kenngrößen aus experimentell ermittelten Kraft-Verschiebungs-Abhängigkeiten ableiten. Diese Kenngrößen sind mit heutiger Messtechnik nicht direkt experimentell bestimmbar. Es wird ein Mikro-Meso-Makro-Prognosemodell (MMM-Prognosemodell) für Textilbeton entwickelt, das basierend auf der Simulation des Mikrostrukturverhaltens das makroskopische Materialverhalten prognostiziert. Die Grundlage dafür bildet die qualitative und quantitative Bestimmung der Verbundeigenschaften zwischen der Filamentbewehrung und der einbettenden Matrix. Für das Verbundverhalten von Rovings in einer Feinbetonmatrix wird, ausgehend von einer Rovingapproximation mit superelliptischem Querschnitt, die partielle Imprägnierung des Rovings und die daraus resultierende Verbundwirkung identifiziert und simuliert. Auf Grundlage der mikro- und mesomechanischen Modelle sowie der Kalibrierung und Verifizierung des MMM-Prognosemodells durch die Simulation von Filament- und Rovingauszugsversuchen wird das makroskopische Zugverhalten von Textilbeton mit Mehrfachrissbildung prognostiziert. Die numerischen Ergebnisse werden durch die Ergebnisse der experimentellen Dehnkörperversuche validiert. Das MMM-Prognosemodell für Textilbeton wird im Rahmen einer hierarchischen Multi-Skalen-Analyse auf Zugversuche von Textilbetonbauteilen angewendet. Weiterhin wird die Verstärkungswirkung einer Textilbetonschicht an Stahlbetonbauteilen unter Biegebeanspruchung zutreffend simuliert. Es wird das nichtlineare Bauteilverhalten abgebildet, wobei die Bauteildurchbiegung, die effektiven Rovingbeanspruchungen und die Beanspruchungen der Filamente im Roving abgebildet werden. / The present work deals with the simulation and the prediction of the effective material behavior of the high performance composite textile reinforced concrete (TRC) subjected to tension. Based on a hierarchical material model within a multi scale approach the load bearing mechanisms of TRC are modeled on three structural scales. Therewith, the mechanical parameters characterizing the composite material can be deduced indirectly by experimentally determined force displacement relations obtained from roving pullout tests. These parameters cannot be obtained by contemporary measuring techniques directly. A micro-meso-macro-prediction model (MMM-PM) for TRC is developed, predicting the macroscopic material behavior by means of simulations of the microscopic and the mesoscopic material behavior. The basis is the qualitative and quantitative identification of the bond properties of the roving-matrix system. The partial impregnation of the rovings and the corresponding varying bond qualities are identified to characterize the bond behavior of rovings in a fine-grained concrete matrix. The huge variety of roving cross-sections is approximated by superellipses on the meso scale. The macroscopic behavior of TRC subjected to tension including multiple cracking of the matrix material is correctly predicted on the basis of the micro- and meso-mechanical models. The calibration and verification of the MMM-PM is performed by simulations of roving pullout tests, whereas a first validation is carried out by a comparison of the numerical predictions with the experimental data from tensile tests. The MMM-PM for TRC is applied to tensile tests of structural members made of TRC. Furthermore, a steel-reinforced concrete plate strengthened by a TRC layer is accurately simulated yielding the macroscopic deflection of the plate, the mesoscopic stress state of the roving and the microscopic stresses of the filaments.

Die Arbeit widmet sich der Simulation und der Prognose des Materialverhaltens des Hochleistungsverbundwerkstoffes Textilbeton unter Zugbeanspruchungen. Basierend auf einer hierarchischen mechanischen Modellbildung (Multi-Skalen-Analyse) werden die Tragmechanismen des Verbundwerkstoffes auf drei Strukturebenen abgebildet. Damit lassen sich die den Verbundwerkstoff charakterisierenden mechanischen Kenngrößen aus experimentell ermittelten Kraft-Verschiebungs-Abhängigkeiten ableiten. Diese Kenngrößen sind mit heutiger Messtechnik nicht direkt experimentell bestimmbar. Es wird ein Mikro-Meso-Makro-Prognosemodell (MMM-Prognosemodell) für Textilbeton entwickelt, das basierend auf der Simulation des Mikrostrukturverhaltens das makroskopische Materialverhalten prognostiziert. Die Grundlage dafür bildet die qualitative und quantitative Bestimmung der Verbundeigenschaften zwischen der Filamentbewehrung und der einbettenden Matrix. Für das Verbundverhalten von Rovings in einer Feinbetonmatrix wird, ausgehend von einer Rovingapproximation mit superelliptischem Querschnitt, die partielle Imprägnierung des Rovings und die daraus resultierende Verbundwirkung identifiziert und simuliert. Auf Grundlage der mikro- und mesomechanischen Modelle sowie der Kalibrierung und Verifizierung des MMM-Prognosemodells durch die Simulation von Filament- und Rovingauszugsversuchen wird das makroskopische Zugverhalten von Textilbeton mit Mehrfachrissbildung prognostiziert. Die numerischen Ergebnisse werden durch die Ergebnisse der experimentellen Dehnkörperversuche validiert. Das MMM-Prognosemodell für Textilbeton wird im Rahmen einer hierarchischen Multi-Skalen-Analyse auf Zugversuche von Textilbetonbauteilen angewendet. Weiterhin wird die Verstärkungswirkung einer Textilbetonschicht an Stahlbetonbauteilen unter Biegebeanspruchung zutreffend simuliert. Es wird das nichtlineare Bauteilverhalten abgebildet, wobei die Bauteildurchbiegung, die effektiven Rovingbeanspruchungen und die Beanspruchungen der Filamente im Roving abgebildet werden. / The present work deals with the simulation and the prediction of the effective material behavior of the high performance composite textile reinforced concrete (TRC) subjected to tension. Based on a hierarchical material model within a multi scale approach the load bearing mechanisms of TRC are modeled on three structural scales. Therewith, the mechanical parameters characterizing the composite material can be deduced indirectly by experimentally determined force displacement relations obtained from roving pullout tests. These parameters cannot be obtained by contemporary measuring techniques directly. A micro-meso-macro-prediction model (MMM-PM) for TRC is developed, predicting the macroscopic material behavior by means of simulations of the microscopic and the mesoscopic material behavior. The basis is the qualitative and quantitative identification of the bond properties of the roving-matrix system. The partial impregnation of the rovings and the corresponding varying bond qualities are identified to characterize the bond behavior of rovings in a fine-grained concrete matrix. The huge variety of roving cross-sections is approximated by superellipses on the meso scale. The macroscopic behavior of TRC subjected to tension including multiple cracking of the matrix material is correctly predicted on the basis of the micro- and meso-mechanical models. The calibration and verification of the MMM-PM is performed by simulations of roving pullout tests, whereas a first validation is carried out by a comparison of the numerical predictions with the experimental data from tensile tests. The MMM-PM for TRC is applied to tensile tests of structural members made of TRC. Furthermore, a steel-reinforced concrete plate strengthened by a TRC layer is accurately simulated yielding the macroscopic deflection of the plate, the mesoscopic stress state of the roving and the microscopic stresses of the filaments.