The estimate of the ultimate capacity of a concrete structure is essential to determine the safety margins. The evolutions of regulations and the desire to build sustainable structures lead engineering to dispose modelling tools simple and efficient. In this spirit…
The estimate of the ultimate capacity of a concrete structure is essential to determine the safety margins. The evolutions of regulations and the desire to build sustainable structures lead engineering to dispose modelling tools simple and efficient. In this spirit we present here a 3D unilateral model (µ model) based on the coupling of elasticity and damage in an isotropic formulation. Based on the damage model from Mazars, the introduction of unilateral behaviour comes from the use of two internal variables. A threshold surface is associated to each of these variables. Their shape was chosen to model the best behaviour of concrete under various loading: tension, compression, shear, biaxial and triaxial loadings. Applications are presented at the material level (Gauss point) and on a reinforced concrete structure. Comparison with experimental results shows the effectiveness of selected options.