Experimental and numerical analysis of cracks in the reinforced concrete pipes

This article presents the analysis of the cracks in the tensile strength of concrete for reinforced concrete pipe crushing. Tensile strength, in case of crushing elements of high relative curvature, is significantly different from the strength of the not curved elements. The current state of research indicates that only methods of nonlinear fracture mechanics lead to a satisfactory agreement between the results of calculations and experimental studies, and allow for compiling correctly the influence of basic parameters of stretched concrete and geometrical dimensions on the load capacity of crush pipes made of concrete. Obtaining consistent results of experimental and numerical research is still a very complicated issue. This paper presents the results of an experimental test performed on three pipes and the numerical model of the analyzed element of the pipes made in the ATENA program. In order to model the concrete we used material model "SBETA", proposed by ATENA. The numerical analyses of the cracks were compared with the results of experimental studies in this paper. The conducted experimental test indicate that the concrete tensile strength for the tested elements was higher than adopted. This resulted in a greater resistance of the cracking for the test elements.

Full text (pdf)

[1] Bazant Z. P, Cao Z., “Size effect in brittle failure of unreinforced pipes”. Report 85-2/679s. Center for Concrete and Geometrials, Northwestern Unive., Evanstone, Illinois 1985.

[2] Crisfield M.A , Non-linear Finite Element Analysis of Solid and Structures, John

Wile& Soons,INC, England, 1997.

[3] Červenka V., Jendele L., Červenka J., “ATENA Program Documentation- Theory”, Prague, September 19, 2014.

[4] Wallbrink C.D, Peng D., Jones R., "Assessment of partly circumferential cracks in pipe”, International Journal of Fracture , May 2005, Volume 133, Issue 2,

[5] Woliński Sz., “Tensile Behaviour of Concrete and Their Applications in Nonlinear Fracture Mechanics of Concrete” Zeszyty Naukowe PRz, Rzeszów 1991(in polish).

[6] EN- 206:2013 Concrete. Specification, performance, production and conformity,

[7] EN-1916:2005/AC Concrete pipes and fittings unreinforced, steel fibre and reinforced

[8] CEB-FIP Model Code 2010, Bulletin d’Information