Concrete vessels are being used to store and isolate hazardous materials. However, cracks in concrete cause leakage of these hazardous materials. The objective of this study is to develop a suitable model to simulate water leakage through cracks using experimental…
Concrete vessels are being used to store and isolate hazardous materials. However, cracks in concrete cause leakage of these hazardous materials. The objective of this study is to develop a suitable model to simulate water leakage through cracks using experimental and numerical techniques. In the experimental studies, wedge-splitting tests are performed on reinforced concrete specimens which are pressurized by water during different stages of crack propagation. The experiments are then numerically simulated using finite element program based on the discrete crack m·odel to analyze the behavior of cracks in concrete and interface of reinforcement. Wedge-splitting specimen of plane concrete and simple bonding test of rebar are also simulated to evaluate the crack property in concrete and interface property on reinforcement in advance. Two kinds of fluid models for two different stages of water leakage are proposed.