Analytical and numerical prediction of the bending behaviour of textile reinforced concrete sandwich beams

The non-linear analytical and finite element models have been validated, as a good agreement with experimental results has been achieved. The experimental identification of material parameters - TRC in tension, mortar in compression and EPS in tension, compression and shear - is crucial for the definition of proper constitutive laws for the models and is here presented and discussed. For both approaches, the assumptions of modelling TRC in bending as homogeneous and assuming perfect bond between TRC and EPS (even when behaviour becomes highly non-linear) have been proved to be reliable. Analytical and FEM results show that EPS non-linear behaviour and TRC membrane and bending behaviour govern the response. The FE analysis also highlights the mechanisms involved in specimen failure.