Análise numérica de estruturas de concreto sob carregamentos cíclicos empregando mecânica do dano contínuo

Abstract

Technological advances have led to the development of bolder slenderer structures with larger spans so that it is important to know precisely the materials behavior when requested to both static and dynamic loadings. Maritime structures, airports pavements, towers and bridges among others kinds of structures frequently face cyclic loading and may present fatigue. In this phenomenon, the material deteriorates for each load cycle reducing its stiffness and strength presenting rupture with stresses limits considerably below the static strength. In this context, this works studies and applies a constitutive model for determining concrete structures behavior under tensile stresses due to cyclic loadings. To this end it is employed the Continuum Damage Mechanics based on the theories of Lemaitre and Chaboche (1990) and Papa et al. (1991). The numerical formulation is based on the Finite Element Method, as it is used an iso-parametric triangular finite element with 10 nodes and cubic Lagrange polynomials shape functions, designed to analyze plan stress or plan strain according to the user preference. The computational code is tested by some numerical examples and the results are compared to the literature showing good agreement.