A numerical approach to modelling size effects on the flexural ductility of RC beams

The problem of evaluating the rotation capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) beams in bending has been largely investigated from both the experimental and the analytical point of view during the last decades. Since the development of ductility is influenced by several design parameters, it is difficult to develop a predictive model that can fully describe the mechanical behaviour of RC beams. In particular, the role of the size-scale effect, which has been evidenced by some experimental tests, is not yet completely understood. One of the main reasons is the inadequacy of the traditional models based on ad hoc stress–strain constitutive laws. In the present paper, a new model based on the concept of strain localization is proposed, which is able to describe both cracking and crushing growths in RC beams during the loading process. In particular, the nonlinear behaviour of concrete in compression is modelled by the Overlapping Crack Model, which describes the strain localization due to crushing by means of a material interpenetration. With this algorithm in hand, it is possible to effectively capture the flexural behaviour of RC beams by varying the reinforcement percentage and/or the beam depth. An extensive comparison with experimental results demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach.