THERMAL STRAIN IN FINITE ELEMENT

PROGRAM
Thermal stress in concrete occurs due to very low thermal expansion of concrete which
restricts the expansion of concrete when heated. But when concrete is heated to a high
temperature, thermal strains occur in concrete. This strain is observed as the concrete
contracts when heated. Load Induced Thermal Strain is dependant to the temperature applied
and also to the loading condition. LITS is defined as the difference in strain measured
between concrete that is loaded and then heated to the same concrete that is heated and then
loaded. The concrete that is heated and loaded shrinks rather than expand due to thermal
expansion; which results in loss of compressive strength. This shrinking of concrete occurs
for the first heating of concrete. LITS is a nonlinear function of temperature and stress. The
damages caused by LITS are irreversible strains, variation in compressive strength as well as
elastic modulus of the material which may lead to severe damage or collapse of the structure.
The locked in strains caused due to LITS, which are significant, should be represented in a
model for analysis. The method to model LITS is to incorporate it into a constitutive curve,
which then allows total strain due to LITS be included in finite element analysis. Plastic
strain is the largest constituent of LITS, which has to be accurately modelled. To model these
plastic strains it is necessary to determine the elastic modulus of the material as a function of
temperature. The plastic strain will be over-estimated if the modulus is too stiff or underestimated if the modulus is too soft. The plastic strain will induce greater tension on strain
reversal as the structure cools; hence the correct modelling of plastic strain becomes
increasingly important. LITS originates in common gel or C-S-H structures and is relatively
insensitive to aggregate type and cement blend. The aim of this project is to include LITS in a
non-linear finite element program based on Mohr Coulomb Failure criterion using a
FORTRAN 95 compiler.