Cracking Propagation of Hardening Concrete Based on the Extended Finite Element Method

Self-deformation cracking is the cracking caused by thermal deformation, autogenous volume deformation or shrinkage deformation. In this paper, an extended finite element calculation method was deduced for concrete crack propagation under a constant hydration and hardening condition during the construction period, and a corresponding programming code was developed. The experimental investigation shows that initial crack propagation caused by self-deformation loads can be analyzed by this program. This improved algorithm was a preliminary application of the XFEM to the problem of the concrete self-deformation cracking during the hydration and hardening period. However, room for improvement exists for this algorithm in terms of matching calculation programs with mass concrete temperature fields containing cooling pipes and the influence of creep or damage on crack propagation.

Full－range nonlinear analysis of fatigue behaviors of reinforced concrete structures by finite element method

The offshore reinforced concrete structures are always subject to cyclic load, such as wave load.In this paper a new finite element analysis model is developed to analyze the stress and strain state of reinforced concrete structures including offshore concrete structures, subject to any number of the cyclic load. On the basis of the anal ysis of the experimental data,this model simplifies the number of cycles-total cyclic strain curve of concrete as three straight line segments,and it is assumed that the stress-strain curves of different cycles in each segment are the same, thus the elastoplastic analysis is only needed for the first cycle of each segment, and the stress or strain corresponding to any number of cycles can be obtained by superposition of stress or strain obtained by the above e lastoplastic analysis based on the cyclic numbers in each segment.This model spends less computer time,and can obtain the stress and strain states of the structures after any number of cycles.The endochronic-damage and ideal offshore concrete platform subject to cyclic loading are experimented and analyzed by the finite element method based on the model proposed in this paper. The results between the experiment and the finite element analysis are in good agreement,which demonstrates the validity and accuracy of the proposed model.

NONLINEAR ANALYSIS OF REINFORCED CONCRETE RECTANGULAR SLABS USING FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

The nonlinear analysis of reinforced concrete rectangular slabs undermonotonic transverse loads is performed by finite element method.The layered rectangu-lar element with 4 nodes and 20 degrees of freedom is developed,in whichbending-stretching coupling effect is taken into account.An orthotropic equivalentuniaxial stress-strain constitutive model of concrete is used.A program is worked out andused to calculate two reinforced concrete slabs.The results of calculation are in goodconformity with the corresponding test results.In addition,the influence of tension stif-fening effect of cracked concrete on the results of calculation is discussed.

Finite Element Method for Design of Reinforced Concrete Offshore Platforms

A design method of reinforced concrete (R. C.) offshore platforms with nonlinear finite element analysis is proposed. According to the method, a computer program is developed. In this program nonlinear constitutive relationships and strength criteria of concrete and steel bars are included, and the progressive cracking and crushing of the concrete are taken into account. Based on the stress distribution obtained by the nonlinear finite element analysis, the amount of reinforcement in the control sections can be computed and adjusted automatically by the program to satisfy the requirement of the design. The amount of reinforcement required in the control sections, which are obtained with the nonlinear finite element analysis, is agreeable to that obtained in the experiment. This shows that the design method of R. C. offshore platform with the nonlinear finite element method proposed by the authors is reliable for practical use.

Extended finite element-based cohesive zone method for modeling simultaneous hydraulic fracture height growth in layered reservoirs

In this study,a fully coupled hydromechanical model within the extended finite element method(XFEM)-based cohesive zone method(CZM)is employed to investigate the simultaneous height growth behavior of multi-cluster hydraulic fractures in layered porous reservoirs with modulus contrast.The coupled hydromechanical model is first verified against an analytical solution and a laboratory experiment.Then,the fracture geometry(e.g.height,aperture,and area)and fluid pressure evolutions of multiple hydraulic fractures placed in a porous reservoir interbedded with alternating stiff and soft layers are investigated using the model.The stress and pore pressure distributions within the layered reservoir during fluid injection are also presented.The simulation results reveal that stress umbrellas are easily to form among multiple hydraulic fractures’tips when propagating in soft layers,which impedes the simultaneous height growth.It is also observed that the impediment effect of soft layer is much more significant in the fractures suppressed by the preferential growth of adjoining fractures.After that,the combined effect of in situ stress ratio and fracturing spacing on the multi-fracture height growth is presented,and the results elucidate the influence of in situ stress ratio on the height growth behavior depending on the fracture spacing.Finally,it is found that the inclusion of soft layers changes the aperture distribution of outmost and interior hydraulic fractures.The results obtained from this study may provide some insights on the understanding of hydraulic fracture height containment observed in filed.

STRESS FIELD ANALYSIS OF EXTRA-HEIGHT FORGING DIE USING FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

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Evaluation of mixed-mode stress intensity factors by extended finite element method

Extended finite element method （XFEM） implementation of the interaction integral methodology for evaluating the stress intensity factors （SIF） of the mixed-mode crack problem is presented. A discontinuous function and the near-tip asymptotic function are added to the classic finite element approximation to model the crack behavior. Two-state integral by the superposition of actual and auxiliary fields is derived to calculate the SIFs. Applications of the proposed technique to the inclined centre crack plate with inclined angle from 0° to 90° and slant edge crack plate with slant angle 45°, 67.5° and 90° are presented, and comparisons are made with closed form solutions. The results show that the proposed method is convenient, accurate and computationallv efficient.

Self-adaptive one-dimensional nonlinear finite element method based on element energy projection method

The element energy projection （EEP） method for computation of super- convergent resulting in a one-dimensional finite element method （FEM） is successfully used to self-adaptive FEM analysis of various linear problems, based on which this paper presents a substantial extension of the whole set of technology to nonlinear problems. The main idea behind the technology transfer from linear analysis to nonlinear analysis is to use Newton＇s method to linearize nonlinear problems into a series of linear problems so that the EEP formulation and the corresponding adaptive strategy can be directly used without the need for specific super-convergence formulation for nonlinear FEM. As a re- sult, a unified and general self-adaptive algorithm for nonlinear FEM analysis is formed. The proposed algorithm is found to be able to produce satisfactory finite element results with accuracy satisfying the user-preset error tolerances by maximum norm anywhere on the mesh. Taking the nonlinear ordinary differential equation （ODE） of second-order as the model problem, this paper describes the related fundamental idea, the imple- mentation strategy, and the computational algorithm. Representative numerical exam- ples are given to show the efficiency, stability, versatility, and reliability of the proposed approach.

Three-Dimensional Thermo-Elastic-Plastic Finite Element Method Modeling for Predicting Weld-Induced Residual Stresses and Distortions in Steel Stiffened-Plate Structures

The objective of the present paper is to develop nonlinear finite element method models for predicting the weld-induced initial deflection and residual stress of plating in steel stiffened-plate structures. For this purpose, three-dimensional thermo-elastic-plastic finite element method computations are performed with varying plate thickness and weld bead length (leg length) in welded plate panels, the latter being associated with weld heat input. The finite element models are verified by a comparison with experimental database which was obtained by the authors in separate studies with full scale measurements. It is concluded that the nonlinear finite element method models developed in the present paper are very accurate in terms of predicting the weld-induced initial imperfections of steel stiffened plate structures. Details of the numerical computations together with test database are documented.

Self-adaptive strategy for one-dimensional finite element method based on EEP method with optimal super-convergence order

Based on the newly-developed element energy projection （EEP） method with optimal super-convergence order for computation of super-convergent results, an improved self-adaptive strategy for one-dimensional finite element method （FEM） is proposed. In the strategy, a posteriori errors are estimated by comparing FEM solutions to EEP super-convergent solutions with optimal order of super-convergence, meshes are refined by using the error-averaging method. Quasi-FEM solutions are used to replace the true FEM solutions in the adaptive process. This strategy has been found to be simple, clear, efficient and reliable. For most problems, only one adaptive step is needed to produce the required FEM solutions which pointwise satisfy the user specified error tolerances in the max-norm. Taking the elliptical ordinary differential equation of the second order as the model problem, this paper describes the fundamental idea, implementation strategy and computational algorithm and representative numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed approach.

SELF-ADAPTIVE STRATEGY FOR ONE-DIMENSIONAL FINITE ELEMENT METHOD BASED ON ELEMENT ENERGY PROJECTION METHOD

Based on the newly-developed element energy projection （EEP） method for computation of super-convergent results in one-dimensional finite element method （FEM）, the task of self-adaptive FEM analysis was converted into the task of adaptive piecewise polynomial interpolation. As a result, a satisfactory FEM mesh can be obtained, and further FEM analysis on this mesh would immediately produce an FEM solution which usually satisfies the user specified error tolerance. Even though the error tolerance was not completely satisfied, one or two steps of further local refinements would be sufficient. This strategy was found to be very simple, rapid, cheap and efficient. Taking the elliptical ordinary differential equation of second order as the model problem, the fundamental idea, implementation strategy and detailed algorithm are described. Representative numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed approach.

Three-dimensional analysis of elastic stress distribution of indented ceramic surface by finite element method

The three-dimensional stress distributions in the area surrounding indentation pattern for three different materials, Al2O3, Si3N4 and SiC were analyzed by finite element method(FEM). Those theoretical results were also compared with the experimental ones by Rockwell hardness test. The effect of loading stress on the plastic deformation in specimens, surface was investigated on the assumption of shear strain energy theory by Huber-Mises when the materials were indented. The distributions of nomal stress, shear stress, and Mises stress were analysed with variations of loading conditions. It is clear that the analytical results for the stress distributions, the crack length and its density of probability are in good agreement with the experimental results.

NONLINEAR FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF CONCRETE OFFSHORE PLATFORMS

Taking account of the progressive cracking and crushing of the concrete, the full-range nonlinear analysis has been made for a R.C. Structure, from loading to cracking until crushing for some elements. The diagrams showing the distribution of the stresses and the horizontal displacements and the pictures showing the cracking and crushing of the concrete are given. This paper also gives the comparison between the results of nonlinear analysis and linear analysis.

Genetic algorithm-finite element method inversion of the factors determining the recent tectonic stress field of part of East Asia area

Genetic algorithm finite element method (GA FEM) is applied to the study of tectonic stress field of part of East Asia area. From the observed stress distribution, 2 D elastic plane stress inversion is made to deduce the boundary forces and investigate controlling factors. It is suggested that the continent continent collision is the dominant factor controlling the Chinese tectonic stress field. The ocean continent convergence along the subduction zone is an important factor. There exists tensile boundary force along the marginal sea.

Study on the Stress of DLC/MCT Interface by Finite Element Method

Micro-indention and finite element method (FEM) are used to study the stress at the interface between diamond-like carbon (DLC) film and mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) substrate, with different coating thickness, deposition temperature and indention load. The FEM simulation results show that when Young's modulus ratio of the coating to the substrate Ec/Es<1, Whether a load was applied or not, the interfacial maximum shear stress decreased with the increase of coating thickness. The Von mises stress always concentrated at the interface. The maximum value of the stress locates at the edge of the interface for thin film (h1/h2<0. l), however, it will locate at the center of the interface while the film become thick (h1/h2>0. 1 ). The stress also increased with raising the film deposition temperature, and the temperature affected the strain obviously. When a load was applied, the stress would concentrate where the load was applied, and the stress value is much larger than that of unloading. When the film stress exceeds the film fracture strength, film cracking occurs at the location where load is applied.

COMPUTATION OF STRESS INTENSITY FACTORS BY THE SUB-REGION MIXED FINITE ELEMENT METHOD OF LINES

Based on the sub-region generalized variationM principle, a sub-region mixed version of the newly-developed semi-analytical ＇finite element method of lines＇ （FEMOL） is proposed in this paper for accurate and efficient computation of stress intensity factors （SIFs） of two-dimensional notches/cracks. The circular regions surrounding notch/crack tips are taken as the complementary energy region in which a number of leading terms of singular solutions for stresses are used, with the sought SIFs being among the unknown coefficients. The rest of the arbitrary domain is taken as the potential energy region in which FEMOL is applied to obtain approximate displacements. A mixed system of ordinary differential equations （ODEs） and algebraic equations is derived via the sub-region generalized variational principle. A singularity removal technique that eliminates the stress parameters from the mixed equation system eventually yields a standard FEMOL ODE system, the solution of which is no longer singular and is simply and efficiently obtained using a standard general-purpose ODE solver. A number of numerical examples, including bi-material notches/cracks in anti-plane and plane elasticity, are given to show the generally excellent performance of the proposed method.

Stress and Displacement Distribution of Soft Clay Slope with 2D and 3D Elastoplastic Finite Element Method

Based on elastoplastic model, 2D and 3D finite element method （FEM） are used to calculate the stress and displacement distribution in the soft clay slope under gravity and uniform load at the slope top. Stability analyses indicate that 3D boundary effect varies with the stress level of the slope. When the slope is stable, end effect of 3D space is not remarkable. When the stability decreases, end effect occurs; when the slope is at limit state, end effect reaches maximum. The energy causing slope failure spreads preferentially along y-z section, and when the failure resistance capability reaches the limit state, the energy can extend along x-axis direction. The 3D effect of the slope under uniform load on the top is related to the ratio of load influence width to slope height, and the effect is remarkable with the decrease of the ratio.

A FINITE ELEMENT METHOD FOR STRESS ANALYSIS OR ELASTOPLASTIC BODY WITH POLYGONAL LINE STRAIN——HARDENING

In this paper, the stress-strain curve of material is fitted by polygonal line composed of three lines. According to the theory of proportional loading in elastoplasticity, we simplify the complete stress-strain relations, which are given by the increment theory of elastoplasticity. Thus, the finite element equation with the solution of displacement is derived. The assemblage elastoplastic stiffness matrix can be obtained by adding something to the elastic matrix, hence it will shorten the computing time. The determination of every loading increment follows the von Mises yield criteria. The iterative method is used in computation. It omits the redecomposition of the assemblage stiffness matrix and it will step further to shorten the computing time. Illustrations are given to the high-order element application departure from proportional loading, the computation of unloading fitting to the curve and the problem of load estimation.

Using Extended Finite Element Method for Computation of the Stress Intensity Factor, Crack Growth Simulation and Predicting Fatigue Crack Growth in a Slant-Cracked Plate of 6061-T651 Aluminum

The 6061-T651 aluminium alloy is one of the most common aluminium alloys for marine components and general structures. The stress intensity factor (SIF) is an important parameter for estimating the life of the cracked structure. In this paper, the stress intensity factors of a slant-cracked plate, which is made of 6061-T651 aluminum, have been calculated using extended finite element method (XFEM) and finite element method (FEM) in ABAQUS software and the results were compared with theoretical values. Numerical values obtained from these two methods were close to the theoretical values. In simulations of crack growth at different crack angles, the crack propagation angle values were closer to the theoretical values in XFEM method. Also, the accuracy and validity of fatigue crack growth curve were much closer to the theoretical graph in XFEM than the FEM. Therefore, in this paper the capabilities of XFEM were realized in analyzing issues such as cracks.

Simulation study on ultrasonic tomography for grouted reinforced concrete by finite element

A finite element reconstruction algorithm for ultrasound tomography based on the Helmholtz equation in frequency domain is presented to monitor the grouting defects in reinforced concrete structures.In this algorithm,a hybrid regularizations-based iterative Newton method is implemented to provide stable inverse solutions.Furthermore,a dual mesh scheme and an adjoint method are adopted to reduce the computation cost and improve the efficiency of reconstruction.Simultaneous reconstruction of both acoustic velocity and attenuation coefficient for a reinforced concrete model is achieved with multiple frequency data.The algorithm is evaluated with numerical simulation under various practical scenarios including varied transmission/receiving modes,different noise levels,different source/detector numbers,and different contrast levels between the heterogeneity and background region.Results obtained suggest that the algorithm is insensitive to noise,and the reconstructions are quantitatively accurate in terms of the location,size and acoustic properties of the target over a range of contrast levels.