Most infrastructures are reinforced concrete (RC) structures. In order to deal with the security and durability of RC structures, the stackholders have to survey the noticeable signs of degradation resulting from interactions between the environment and the constitutive materials. As…
Most infrastructures are reinforced concrete (RC) structures. In order to deal with the security and durability of RC structures, the stackholders have to survey the noticeable signs of degradation resulting from interactions between the environment and the constitutive materials. As the matter of fact, these interactions can reveal cracks, which are major with respect to durability and sustainability. In this framework, the French national research programme CEOS.fr (Behaviour and assessment of special construction works concerning cracking and shrinkage) has been launched [1]. It aims to improve knowledge on the behaviour evolution of special concrete structures (large structures) particularly their cracking states (crack openings and spacings) and to develop new tools allowing a structural behaviour prediction. Associated with the project CEOS.fr, an international benchmark named ConCrack (Control of cracking in RC structures) dealt with the modelling of the experimental behaviour of large specimens (www.concrack.org)[2]. In that context, the authors focused on the modelling of one tested mock-up. It is a large RC beam named RL1 subjected to a free shrinkage test followed to a bending test. The authors focused on the mechanical part. In order to model the experimental test, a 2D plane stress modelling is performed. Two continuum damage concrete models are used, classical Mazars model [3] and Ricrag one [4]. The steel behaviour law is a classical hardening elastoplastic law. These models are supposed to be robust enough to allow complex structural modelling of an entire structure. Analysis of local results, obtained by post-treatment of continuum numerical results, is performed. In this study, the authors show the effect of the modelling hypothesis and the considered boundary conditions on the numerical results and its importance to get a good accordance with experimental data. The numerical crack openings and spacings obtained are compared with experimental data.