Cohesive fracture simulation and failure modes of FRP–concrete bonded interfaces

A work-of-fracture method using three-point bend beam (3PBB) specimen, commonly employed to determine the fracture energy of concrete, is adapted to evaluate the mode-I cohesive fracture of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) composite–concrete adhesively bonded interfaces. In this study, a bilinear damage cohesive zone model (CZM) is used to simulate cohesive fracture of FRP–concrete bonded interfaces. The interface cohesive process damage model is proposed to simulate the adhesive–concrete interface debonding; while a tensile plastic damage model is used to account for the cohesive cracking of concrete near the bond line. The influences of the important interface parameters, such as the interface cohesive strength, concrete tensile strength, critical interface energy, and concrete fracture energy, on the interface failure modes and load-carrying capacity are discussed in detail through a numerical finite element parametric study. The results of numerical simulations indicate that there is a transition of the failure modes controlling the interface fracture process. Three failure modes in the mode-I fracture of FRP–concrete interface bond are identified: (1) complete adhesive–concrete interface debonding (a weak bond), (2) complete concrete cohesive cracking near the bond line (a strong bond), and (3) a combined failure of interface debonding and concrete cohesive cracking. With the change of interface parameters, the transition of failure modes from interface debonding to concrete cohesive cracking is captured, and such a transition cannot be revealed by using a conventional fracture mechanics-based approach, in which only an energy criterion for fracture is employed. The proposed cohesive damage models for the interface and concrete combined with the numerical finite element simulation can be used to analyze the interface fracture process, predict the load-carrying capacity and ductility, and optimize the interface design, and they can further shed new light on the interface failure modes and transition mechanism which emulate the practical application.