New results in meso-mechanical modelling of concrete using fracture-based zero-thickness interface elements

The work concerns the mesomechanical simulation of concrete specimens of different lengths subjected to compression and tension tests. The goal of the analysis is to study the influence of the heterogeneous phases of concrete on the overall behaviour of concrete. The material has been discretized in two phases: mortar and aggregate continuum elements, assumed linear elastic, and zero-thickness interface elements capable of representing cracking inserted along most of the mesh lines. In previous studies, the model was used successfully to represent simple loading scenarios on concrete specimens. In the present study the effect of the length of specimen in tension and compression is investigated. The results obtained follow the trends observed in experimental data. In the final part of the paper, some considerations on the influence of the dilatancy in the constitutive law at this level of analysis will be given.