Nonlocal fracture analysis - identification of material model parameters

Abstract

In the present paper a short description of the nonlocal microcrack interaction approach is presented. The physical meaning of this approach when used in the smeared finite element code is discussed. The present nonlocal "averaging" consists of a long-range interaction (crack interaction function) and local averaging. The first controls the crack propagation and the second is responsible for the correct energy consumption due to cracking. It is demonstrated that the nonlocal material model parameters may be identified by usual concrete fracture properties such as tensile strength, concrete fracture energy and maximum aggregate size. The nonlocal microcrack interaction approach is compared with the nonlocal strain approach and a possible simplification is considered.