This paper reports on the development of the Rigid-Body-Spring Network (RBSN) approach, which can be categorized as a lattice model, and its application to analyzing quasi-brittle failure of cement-based composites. Attention is first given to elastic stress analysis, which is…
This paper reports on the development of the Rigid-Body-Spring Network (RBSN) approach, which can be categorized as a lattice model, and its application to analyzing quasi-brittle failure of cement-based composites. Attention is first given to elastic stress analysis, which is fundamental to modeling crack initiation and propagation. The potential for modeling crack propagation across random networks is demonstrated through comparisons with theory and mode I fracture test results. Due to the implementation of a crack band model within the RBSN, crack propagation is objective with respect to network component size and geometry. The latter part of the paper presents preliminary efforts toward modeling compressive failure under uniaxial loading, as well as work towards extending the analysis framework to three dimensions.