Fracture studies on 3D geometrically similar beams

In the present work, a discrete numerical approach is adopted to understand size effect and fracture behavior in concrete. First, a comparison is performed between 2D and 3D geometrically similar structures to analyze thickness effect. The study is supplemented with element failure pattern to analyze crack propagation. Further, changing influence of notch to depth ratio is analyzed by comparing 3D   geometrically similar structures with different values of notch depth ratio. Finally, a statistical analysis is performed to understand the influence of structure size and heterogeneity on regression parameters namely Bft′ and D0.

► Lattice modeling, a discrete modeling technique is adopted to explain thickness effect in concrete. ► Comparison on 2D and 3D geometrically similar structures is performed. ► Size effect study is performed to understand the changing influence of notch to depth ratio. ► Statistical analysis is performed to explain the size dependence of material parameters in Bazant’s size effect law.