Towards fully automatic modelling of the fracture process in quasi-brittle and ductile materials: a unified crack growth criterion

Fully automatic finite element （FE） modelling of the fracture process in quasi-brittle materials such as concrete and rocks and ductile materials such as metals and alloys, is of great significance in assessing structural integrity and presents tremendous challenges to the engineering community. One challenge lies in the adoption of an objective and effective crack propagation criterion. This paper proposes a crack propagation criterion based on the principle of energy conservation and the cohesive zone model （CZM）. The virtual crack extension technique is used to calculate the differential terms in the criterion. A fully-automatic discrete crack modelling methodology, integrating the developed criterion, the CZM to model the crack, a simple remeshing procedure to accommodate crack propagation, the J2 flow theory implemented within the incremental plasticity framework to model the ductile materials, and a local arc-length solver to the nonlinear equation system, is developed and implemented in an in-house program. Three examples, i.e., a plain concrete beam with a single shear crack, a reinforced concrete （RC） beam with multiple cracks and a compact-tension steel specimen, are simulated. Good agreement between numerical predictions and experimental data is found, which demonstrates the applicability of the criterion to both quasi-brittle and ductile materials.     

Optimum design of large span concrete filled steel tubular arch bridge based on static,stability and modal analysis

A three-dimensional finite element model was established for a large span concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) arch bridge which is currently under construction. The arch rib, the spandrel columns, the prestressed concrete box-beam, the cast-in-situ concrete plate of bridge deck, the steel box-beam and the crossbeams connecting the two pieces of arch ribs, were modeled by three-dimensional Timoshenko beam elements (3DTBE). The suspenders were modeled by three-dimensional cable elements (3DCE). Both geometric nonlinearity and prestress effect could be included in each kind of element. At the same time a second finite element model with the same geometric and material properties excepted for the sectional dimension of arch rib was set up. Static dynamic analyses were performed to determine the corresponding characteristics of the structure. The results showed that the arch rib's axial rigidity could be determined by static analysis. The stability and vibration of this system could be separated into in-plane modes, out-of-plane modes and coupled modes. The in-plane stability and dynamic characteristics are determined by the arch rib's vertical stiffness and that of out-of-plane is determined by the crossbeams' stiffness and arch rib's lateral stiffness mainly. The in-plane stiffness is much greater than that of out-of-plane for this kind of bridge . The effect of geometric nonlinearity and prestress effect on bridge behavior is insignificant.