1.054/1.

541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Outline 3

1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures (3-0-9)

Outline 3
Failure Theories and Concrete Plasticity

Failure of concrete
o Concrete is a brittle material which fails through brittle cleavage
(splitting) at the interfaces and in mortar except for high triaxial
compression where shear slippage occurs resulting in a ductile
behavior. Failure occurs by tensile splitting with the fractured surface
orthogonal to the direction of the maximum tensile stress or strain.

Prediction of multiaxial behavior

o In general the material properties are known from simple tests such
as uniaxial loadings giving f c' and ft . Prediction involves strength
calculation in multiaxial situations given the data from the uniaxial
tests.
o In the field of concrete research attempts have been made to apply
some of the classical failure theories to concrete. These theories were
altered to overcome some disadvantages or otherwise improve their
agreement with the phenomenological behavior of concrete. New
failure theories were therefore formed.

Principal stresses:
3

3
2

2
1

3
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1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Outline 3

Some classical failure theories

o Maximum principal stress theory
o Maximum principal strain theory
o Maximum shear stress theory
o Internal friction theory
o Maximum strain energy theory
o Distortion energy theory
o Fracture mechanics based theories stress intensity, toughness
fracture energy release.
These introduce either limitations or contradictions when applied to
concrete. Modifications to concrete have resulted:
o Internal friction-maximum stress theory
o Octahedral shear-normal stress theory
o Newmans two-part criterion
o Local deformation theories, etc.
Extensive research has been conducted to develop better theories:
Elastic-plastic, plastic-fracturing, endochronic, bounding surface etc.
approaches.

Maximum principal stress theory (elastic behavior)

o 1 > 2 > 3
o Failure occurs when:

1max = t (Tensile strength)

3max = c = f c' (Compressive strength)
It does not reflect splitting nature of failure.

Maximum principal strain theory (elastic behavior)

o Failure occurs when:

max = limit = t

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1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Outline 3

Maximum shear stress theory

o 1 > 2 > 3
o Failure occurs when:

1 3 + ( 1 + 3 ) = 2 s
where 1 3 = shear stress,

( 1 + 3 ) = portion of the volumetric stress,

s = a critical shear stress value (e.g. under pure shear)
o For metals, 0 . For brittle materials, 0 .
o For = 0 , the failure criterion becomes

1 3
2

=s

o The theory gives equal uniaxial tensile and compressive strengths. It

is also independent of intermediate stress 2 . (pressure sensitivity)

Internal friction theory

S

o Consider the effect of normal stress on shear strength:

S = K tan n
where S = shear strength,
K = cohesive strength,

= angle of internal friction, and

n = normal stress.
o Compression increases S and tension decreases S .
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1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Outline 3

Mohrs theory (generalization of internal friction theory)

o

S = = f ( )

o 2 has no effect on strength.

o

f ( ) is the envelop of all the circles corresponding to the various

states of stress at which failure takes place.

Octahedral shear and normal stress theory

3
2
1

oct
n = m = oct
o 1 > 2 > 3
o Failure occurs when the octahedral stress exceeds a limiting value.

oct =

1
3

( 1 2 ) + ( 2 3 ) + ( 3 1 )
2

In uniaxial tension and compression, oct =

2
i , i = 1, 2, 3
3

o The failure criterion provided by octahedral shear stress theory:

oct = limit ( limit )tension = ( limit )compression

This gives the same ultimate strength for uniaxial tension and
compression. It is not valid for concrete.

Inclusion of oct = m =

1
( 1 + 2 + 3 ) improves the prediction.
3

o Bresler, Pister tests

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1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

= k1 + k2 a' + k3 a'
'
fc
fc
fc

where a =

a = oct =

1
15

Spring 2004
Outline 3

( 1 2 ) + ( 2 3 ) + ( 3 1 )
2

and

1
( 1 + 2 + 3 )
3

Invariant formulation
o A failure criterion should be based upon an invariant function of the
state of stress, i.e., independent of the choice of the coordinate
systems.
o Stress invariants
I1 = 1 + 2 + 3 , (more suitable for applying to concrete)
I 2 = 1 2 + 2 3 + 3 1 ,
I 3 = 1 2 3
where 1 , 2 , 3 are principal stresses.

General stress state representation

o

x xy xz
11 12 13

yx y yz or 21 22 23 = ij ,
zx zy z
31 32 33

11 = 1 , 22 = 2 , 33 = 3
o m =

1
1
1
( 11 + 22 + 33 ) = ii = I1
3
3
3

1
o Average normal stress: a = I1
3

o Average shear stress: a =

1
2 2
I1 3I 2 2
15

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ij = ji i, j = 1, 2, 3

1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Outline 3

Deviatoric stress
o

1, i = j
Sij = ij m ij , ij = Kroneckers delta ij =

0, i j

S11 = 11 m
S12 = 12

S 22 = 22 m
S 21 = 21

S13 = 13

S33 = 33 m
,

S 23 = 23

S31 = 31
S32 = 32

where S11 , S 22 , S33 are principal stresses.

o Discussion of physical meaning of deviatoric and hydrostatic stresses.

Deviatoric stress invariants

o

J1 = Sij = S11 + S 22 + S33

1
1
2
2
2
Sij S ji = S11 + S 22 + S33
2
2
1
1
3
3
3
J 3 = Sij S jk S ki = S11 + S 22 + S33
3
3
J2 =

Biaxial loading ( 22 = 0 )
o

S11 =

1
( 2 11 33 )
3

S 22 =
S33 =

33

1
( 2 11 + 33 )
3

11

1
( 2 33 11 )
3

I1 = 11 + 33
J2 =

1 1
2
2
2
( 2 11 33 ) + ( 11 + 33 ) + ( 2 33 11 )

2 9

In general, stress invariants I1 , J 2 are used to characterize the

behavior of concrete structures.

Invariant formulation of the concrete failure

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1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Outline 3

F ( I1 , J 2 ) = 0

o Failure criteria
3 J 2 + 3 I1 +

I1 c
=
5
9
2

and

K2
K2
1
1
2
J2
I1 I1 + Au I1 = u , where Au , u are material constants.
3
36
2
3

Multiaxial failure criterion

o Principal stresses based

F ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) = 0
o Stress invariants based

F ( I1 , J 2 , J 3 ) = 0
o One model considering the effect of all the three stress invariants and
possessing the observed features of the failure surface such as
smoothness, symmetry, convexity, and curved meridians is provided.
f ( m , m , ) =

r ( m , ) f c'

1 = 0

3 2
2
where m2 = oct
= J2 ,
5
5
1
3

m = I1 ,
r ( m , ) =

r ( m , ) =

cos =

1
r ( m , )
5 f c'
2rc ( rc2 rt 2 ) cos + rc ( 2rt rc
4 ( rc2 rt 2

) 4 ( r r ) cos + 5r
) cos + ( r 2r )
2
c

2
2
2
2 ( 1 2 ) + ( 2 3 ) + ( 3 1 )

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2 1 2 3

rt

= a0 + a1 m' + a2 m' at = 0o
'
fc
5 fc
fc

4rt rc

1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Outline 3

m
rc
m
o
=
+
+
b
b
b
' at = 60
0
1
2
'
'
fc
5 fc
fc

o In the tension-biaxial compression zone, the tensile strength is

2 1 2 2
3c = ft ' 1
1

3 1.5 f '
3 f'

o In the triaxial tension zone, the failure is defined as

ic = f t ' i = 1, 2, 3
o In the compression-biaxial tension zone, the failure is defined as

1c = f c'
2 1
2c = ft ' 1
= 3c
'
3 fc

Damage model
o Incremental damage
dK =

d 0p
F ( I1 , )

where 0p = plastic component of octahedral shear strain,

I1 = volumetric stress invariant, and

F ( ij , K max ) = 0 bounding surface.

D=

r
R

where r = current stress vector (distance), and R = distance to

bounding surface.
When D = 1, the material is assumed to have failed.

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1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Outline 3

Constitutive modeling of concrete

o Approaches for defining stress-strain behavior of concrete:

Linear and nonlinear elasticity theories

Elastic perfectly plastic models

Elastic strain hardening plasticity models

Plastic damage (fracturing)-type models

Endochronic theory of inelasticity

o Isotropic stress model

The stress-strain law

oct = 3K S ( oct ) oct

oct = GS ( oct ) oct
where oct = octahedral normal stress,

oct = octahedral normal strain,

K S = secant bulk modulus,

oct = octahedral shear stress,

oct = octahedral shear strain, and
GS = secant shear modulus.

The

nondimensional

secant

bulk

approximated by
oct
KS
= ab c + d
K0
oct
GS
= pq r s oct + t
G0

The tangent bulk and shear moduli are

( ln b ) oct oct c
KT
= a 1
+d
b
K0
c

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and

shear

moduli

are

1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Outline 3

( ln q ) oct oct r
GT
= p 1
+t
q
G0
c

The elastic material stiffness matrix:

K + 4 3G

D=

sym.

K 2 3G
K + 4 3G

(Youngs modulus: E =

K 2 3G
K 2 3G
K + 4 3G

0
0
0
G

0
0
0
0
G

0
0
0

0
0

3K 2G
9 KG
, Poissons ratio: =
)
2 ( 3K + G )
3K + G

o Isotropic strain model

Nonlinear isotropic elastic model

The nondimensional secant bulk and shear moduli:

KS
1
=
' 1.09
K 0 1 + 0.52 (
oct f c )
GS
2
=
' 1.7
G0 1 + 3.57 (
oct f c )

The tangent bulk and shear moduli:

KT
1
=
' 1.09
K 0 1 + 1.08 (
oct f c )
GT
2
=
' 1.7
G0 1 + 9.63 (
oct f c )

o Orthotropic model

The concept of equivalent uniaxial strains

The constitutive law in terms of the material stiffness tensor Dijkl

d ij = Dijkl d kl

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1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Outline 3

where d ij = the tensor of incremental stresses, and

d ij = the tensor of incremental strains.

The matrix of the tangent stiffness tensor:

(1 2 ) E1 (1 + ) E1 E2 (1 + ) E1 E3

1 2 ) E2
(1 + ) E2 E3
(

(1 2 ) E3
D=

sym.

G12

0
G23

0
G31

where E1 , E2 , E3 = tangent Youngs moduli in directions 1, 2, and 3,

= 1 3 2 2 3
G12 , G23 , G31 = incremental shear moduli for planes parallel to
coordinates 1-2, 2-3, and 3-1. G12 = E1 E2 ,
G23 = E2 E3 , G31 = E3 E1 . For uncracked
concrete, =

1
(1 + ) .
2

The equivalent uniaxial strain iu

iu =

i
+k
1 j
i

where i = principal strain in direction i.

o Elastic-hardening plasticity model

It is developed for short-term monotonic compressive loading of

concrete.

The constitutive relationships feature such characteristics of

concrete

deformational

behavior

as

inelastic

dilatancy

and

frictional effect and inelastic shear caused by hydrostatic pressure

(hydrostatic pressure sensitivity).
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1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Outline 3

Following the incremental theory of plasticity, the total strain

increments are

{d } = {d e } + {d p }

or d ij = d ije + d ijp

e
d kl
where d ij = Cijkl
e
Cijkl
=

1
1
1
ik jl +

ij kl = the elastic compliance tensor

2G
9 K 6G

The equation of plastic flow provides

d ije =

1 F
1
d kl ij ii (as the incremental form of elastic

3
R kl

strain)

d ijp =

1 F
d kl ij (as the incremental form of plastic strain)

R kl

where R and ij depend on the loading history, and

F = yield function.

o Plasticity based model

f = 3 3 J 2 + I1 +
d = H ' d

I1
= , where = equivalent stress.
5

f
f
{d } + d = d

f
3I
{d } + 1 d = d

P
f
3I
{d } = 1 1 H ' d

o Hardening law (Flow rule)

{d } = d
P

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1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Outline 3

If the shape of the curve is assumed to expand uniformly in all

directions, the flow rule is referred to as the isotropic hardening
law.
o Stress increment

{d } = [ C ] {d e }
{d } = {d e } + {d p } = incremental total strain

[C ] = elastic strain to stress transformation matrix

{d } = {d } {d } = elastic strain increment

e

{d } = plastic strain increment

p

therefore,

f
f

[C ] [C ]

{d } = [C ]
{d }
3I1 ' f
f

1
H + [C ]

2


Note that for perfect plasticity, H ' = 0 , this formulation, leading to a
non-singular [C ] , does not cause any numerical difficulty.

Nonlinear analysis of reinforced concrete

o Early studies, by necessity, concentrated on the behavior of isolated
elements such as beams, columns, joints, etc. As facilities developed
and computing capability expanded the scope broadened to include
entire systems such as slabs and beams, coupled shear walls, folded
plates, and shells complete with supporting beams for example. This
broadening stems both from

the desire for better understanding of the behavior of the complete

system with the possibility of therefore achieving better structural
efficiency, and

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1.054/1.541 Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures

Prof. Oral Buyukozturk

Spring 2004
Outline 3

the need because of increased complexity of the problems requiring

solution coupled with more severe demands being placed on the
structure.

Factors which complicate the analysis of reinforcement

concrete structures
o Analytical procedures which may accurately determine stress and
deformation states in reinforced concrete members and structures are
complicated due to many factors:
1. Non-linear stress-strain relation
2. Progressive cracking
3. Consideration of steel reinforcement
4. Creep and shrinkage (time-dependent behavior)
5. Special problems (shear transfer, cyclic loading)
The development of finite element method permits realistic
evaluation of internal stresses and displacements on which the
limit requirements may be based for improved structural efficiency.
Furthermore,

such

refined

analytical

solutions

help

in

understanding and interpreting the observed behavior of structural

elements from experiments.

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