This contribution deals with a numerical study related to crack formation in cement-based materials as induced by endogenous and/or drying shrinkage. The analyses are performed on the structural mesolevel of concrete. This means that the material is considered to be…
This contribution deals with a numerical study related to crack formation in cement-based materials as induced by endogenous and/or drying shrinkage. The analyses are performed on the structural mesolevel of concrete. This means that the material is considered to be a composite material consisting of two phases, i.e. coarse aggregates embedded in a porous hardened cement paste or mortar matrix. The model called Numerical Concrete has been applied. First of all, time-dependent moisture distributions in cement- based composite materials such as normal and high performance concrete subjected to external and endogenous drying have been simulated. The eigen-stresses induced by endogenous shrinkage and drying shrinkage are analyzed. Crack formation and crack growth are simulated in normal and high performance concrete. Special attention has been paid to the risk of crack formation due to endogenous shrinkage in the composite structure of high performance concrete. The influence of an applied load on the process, of crack formation, the crack pattern and on the apparent shrinkage strain has been studied. The numerical study showed that the induced damage leads to anisotropy of the composite material if an external sustained load is applied.