• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.77-83
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• 2015

PURPOSES : In this study, a fracture-based finite element (FE) model is proposed to evaluate the fracture behavior of fiber-reinforced asphalt (FRA) concrete under various interface conditions. METHODS : A fracture-based FE model was developed to simulate a double-edge notched tension (DENT) test. A cohesive zone model (CZM) and linear viscoelastic model were implemented to model the fracture behavior and viscous behavior of the FRA concrete, respectively. Three models were developed to characterize the behavior of interfacial bonding between the fiber reinforcement and surrounding materials. In the first model, the fracture property of the asphalt concrete was modified to study the effect of fiber reinforcement. In the second model, spring elements were used to simulated the fiber reinforcement. In the third method, bar and spring elements, based on a nonlinear bond-slip model, were used to simulate the fiber reinforcement and interfacial bonding conditions. The performance of the FRA in resisting crack development under various interfacial conditions was evaluated. RESULTS : The elastic modulus of the fibers was not sensitive to the behavior of the FRA in the DENT test before crack initiation. After crack development, the fracture resistance of the FRA was found to have enhanced considerably as the elastic modulus of the fibers increased from 450 MPa to 900 MPa. When the adhesion between the fibers and asphalt concrete was sufficiently high, the fiber reinforcement was effective. It means that the interfacial bonding conditions affect the fracture resistance of the FRA significantly. CONCLUSIONS : The bar/spring element models were more effective in representing the local behavior of the fibers and interfacial bonding than the fracture energy approach. The reinforcement effect is more significant after crack initiation, as the fibers can be pulled out sufficiently. Both the elastic modulus of the fiber reinforcement and the interfacial bonding were significant in controlling crack development in the FRA.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.80 no.5
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• pp.553-562
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• 2021

In this paper, a hybrid scaled boundary finite element and finite volume method (SBFEM-FVM) is proposed for simulating hydraulic-fracture propagation in brittle concrete materials. As a semi-analytical method, the scaled boundary finite element method is introduced for modelling concrete crack propagation under both an external force and water pressure. The finite volume method is employed to model the water within the crack and consider the relationship between the water pressure and the crack opening distance. The cohesive crack model is used to analyse the non-linear fracture process zone. The numerical results are compared with experimental data, indicating that the F-CMOD curves and water pressure changes under different loading conditions are approximately the same. Different types of water pressure distributions are also studied with the proposed coupled model, and the results show that the internal water pressure distribution has an important influence on crack propagation.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2012

The size-effect study of various fracture parameters obtained from two parameter fracture model, effective crack model, double-K fracture model and double-G fracture model is presented in the paper. Fictitious crack model (FCM) for three-point bend test geometry for cracked concrete beam of laboratory size range 100-400 mm is developed and the different fracture parameters from size effect model, effective crack model, double-K fracture model and double-G fracture model are evaluated using the input data obtained from FCM. In addition, the fracture parameters of two parameter fracture model are obtained using the mathematical coefficients available in literature. From the study it is concluded that the fracture parameters obtained from various nonlinear fracture models including the double-K and double-G fracture models are influenced by the specimen size. These fracture parameters maintain some definite interrelationship depending upon the specimen size and relative size of initial notch length.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.351-374
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• 2022

Softening function is the primary input for modeling the fracture of concrete when the cohesive crack approach is used. In this paper, based on the laboratory data on notched beams, an inverse algorithm is proposed that can accurately find the softening curve of the concrete. This algorithm uses non-linear finite element analysis and the damage-plasticity model. It is based on the kinematics of the beam at the late stages of loading. The softening curve, obtained from the corresponding algorithm, has been compared to other softening curves in the literature. It was observed that in determining the behavior of concrete, the usage of the presented curve made accurate results in predicting the peak loads and the load-deflection curves of the beams with different concrete mixtures. In fact, the proposed algorithm leads to softening curves that can be used for modeling the tensile cracking of concrete precisely. Moreover, the advantage of this algorithm is the low number of iterations for converging to an appropriate answer.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.239-246
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• 2009

The Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of woven fabric carbon/epoxy and glass/epoxy composites for a train carbody was measured and FEM analysis was conducted. The woven fabric epoxy composite manufactured by hand lay-up, has high stiffness and strength, good resistance for impact, fatigue, corrosion and in-plane failure. The DCB(Double Cantilever Beam) specimen made of woven fabric epoxy composite had the size of 180mm $\times$ 25mm $\times$ 5mm and the insert of 65mm. The Mode I interlaminar toughness of specimen was measured according to ASTM 5528-01. The crack propagation behavior of the DCB specimen was simulated using FEA with cohesive elements that model the adhesive layer between woven fabric plies.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.474-481
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• 2009

Fracture models and criteria of adhesive with two parameters, namely $G_C$ and ${\sigma}_{max}$, have been developed to describe the fracture process of adhesive joints. Cohesive zone model(CZM) is a representative two parameter failure criteria approach. In CZM, ${\sigma}_{max}$ is a critical, limiting maximum value of the stress in the damage zone ahead of the crack and is assumed to have some physical significance in adhesive failure. Based on CZM and finite element analysis method, the relationship between fracture load and adhesive properties, as $G_{IC)$ and $({\sigma}_{max})_I$, was investigated in adhesively bonded joint tensile test and T-peel test. The two parameters in tensile mode loading were evaluated by using the relationship. The value of $G_{\IC}$ evaluated by proposed method showed close agreement with analytical solution for tapered double cantilever beam(TDCB) test which proposed in an ASTM standard.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2018

Open-mode cracks could be commonly observed in layered rocks. A concept model is firstly used to explore the mechanism of the vertical cracks (VCs) in the top layer. Then the crack behaviour of the two-layer model is simulated based on a cohesive zone model (CZM) for layer interfaces and a plastic-damage model for rocks. The model indicates that the tensile stress normal to the VCs changes to compression if the crack spacing to layer thickness ratio is lower than a threshold. The results indicate that there is a threshold for interfacial shear strength that controls the crack patterns of the layered system. If the shear strength is lower than the threshold, the top layer is meshed by the VCs and interfacial cracks (ICs). When the shear strength is higher than the threshold, the top layer is meshed by the VCs and parallel cracks (PCs). If the shear strength is comparative to the threshold, a combining pattern of VCs, PCs and ICs for the top layer can be formed. The evolutions of stress distribution in the crack-bound block indicate that the ICs and PCs can reduce the load transferred for the substrate layer, and thus leads to a crack saturation state.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.45-61
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• 2007

This paper describes a damage accumulation mechanism in cross-ply CFRP laminates $[0_2/90_2]_{2S}$ subjected to out-of-plane loading. Drop-weight impact and static indentation tests were carried out, and induced damage was observed by ultrasonic C-scan and an optical microscope. Both tests gave essentially the same results for damage modes, sizes, and load-deformation history. First, a crack occurred in the bottom $0^{\circ}$ layer accompanying some delamination along the crack caused by bending stress. Then, transverse cracks occurred in the middle $90^{\circ}$ layer with decreasing contact force between the specimen and the indenter. Measured local strains near the impact point showed that the stress state changed from a bending dominant state to an in-plane tensile dominant state. A cohesive interface element was used to simulate the propagation of multiple delaminations and transverse cracks under static indentation. Two types of analytical models are considered, one with multiple delaminations and the other with both multiple delaminations and transverse cracks. The damage obtained for the model with only multiple delaminations was quite different from that obtained from the experiment. However, the results obtained from the model with both delaminations and transverse cracks well explain the characteristics of the damage obtained in the experiment. The existence of the transverse cracks is essential to form the characteristic impact damage.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.331-346
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• 2010

We present a quadrilateral finite element with an embedded crack that can be used to model tensile fracture in two-dimensional concrete solids and the crack growth. The element has kinematics that can represent linear jumps in both normal and tangential displacements along the crack line. The cohesive law in the crack is based on rigid-plasticity with softening. The required material data for the concrete failure analysis are the constants of isotropic elasticity and the mode I softening curve. The results of two well known tests are presented in order to illustrate very satisfying performance of the presented approach to simulate failure of concrete solids.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.73 no.5
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• pp.585-598
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• 2020

We develop design model within which nucleation and propagation of crack in a fibrous composite is described. It is assumed that under loading, crack initiation and fracture of material happens in the composite. The problem of equilibrium of a composite with embryonic crack is reduced to the solution of the system of nonlinear singular integral equations with the Cauchy type kernel. Normal and tangential forces in the crack nucleation zone are determined from the solution of this system of equations. The crack appearance conditions in the composite are formed with regard to criterion of ultimate stretching of the material's bonds. We study the case when near the fiber, the binder has several arbitrary arranged rectilinear prefracture zones and a crack with interfacial bonds. The proposed computational model allows one to obtain the size and location of the zones of damages (prefracture zones) depending on geometric and mechanical characteristics of the fibrous composite and applied external load. Based on the suggested design model that takes into account the existence of damages (the zones of weakened interparticle bonds of the material) and cracks with end zones in the composite, we worked out a method for calculating the parameters of the composite, at which crack nucleation and crack growth occurs.