Numerical analysis of concrete fracture based on a homogenization technique

In this paper, several applications of a homogenization technique to modelling of brittle failure in concrete are presented. The formulation is based on the framework proposed by Pietruszczak and Xu [Brittle response of concrete as a localization problem. Int. J. Solids Struct. 32, 1517–1533 (1995)], which has been extended here to incorporate the tension-shear type of fracture mode. Numerical examples include a study of the influence of material imperfections and boundary constraints on the response of concrete specimens under compression, analysis of the behaviour of edge-notched specimens under tension and the response of samples subjected to three-point bending. The studies on mesh-sensitivity and the size effect are also provided.