Damage analysis and numerical simulation for failure process of a reinforced concrete arch structure

This work focuses on the implementation of damage mechanics model to explain and understand failure mechanisms of the concrete structures. A tensorial damage theory and an isotropic application to the arch ribs of a real bridge are presented. Two reinforced concrete arch ribs of a 28 year old bridge has been removed from the field to the laboratory. They were loaded up to failure in order to study the remaining strength of the structure. The damage model involves three independent parameters for simulating the damage behaviors of the concrete material. The damage theory—additional load—finite element method is developed to simulate numerically the failure process of the RC structures based on the proposed damage model. The predicted displacements, strains and failure mode of the RC arch are good agreement with the experimental results. The values of the three material parameters that describe the damage characteristics of concrete were obtained. The numerical calculations revealed the interested behaviors of concrete in a damaging process. The proposed damage model can be used effectively to describe the damage and fracture behaviors of concrete.