CE 600402: Assignment 1 (Due March 15, 2017)

This project involves studying the failure patterns in a concrete cylinder of diameter 150 mm and variable height (300
mm, 600 mm, 1000 mm) loaded in unconfined compression by stiff as well as flexible plattens. You will set up a 3D
numerical model for the cylinder in ABAQUS using solid elements, with the concrete being modeled using the Concrete
Damaged Plasticity model. To understand how to use this model, read the ABAQUS /Users Manual, Section 19.6.3.
(Later in the course we will learn some of the underlying theory). The concrete damaged plasticity model is calibrated
using the results of uniaxial compression and uniaxial tension tests. The following information is provided:
The concrete is assumed to have unconfined 28 days compression strength of 27 MPa, density of 2400 Kg/m3,
Youngs modulus of 29 GPa , Poissons ratio of 0.2, and ultimate strain in compression of .003.
Dilatation angle = 36 degree. Flow field eccentricity, = .1 (default), ratio of biaxial compressive yield stress to
uniaxial compressive yield stress = 1.16 (default), Kc, ratio of stress invariants on tensile and compressive
meridian = .67 (default)
The stress-strain curves for the uniaxial compression and uniaxial tension tests will be generated using available empirical
relations. To generate the stress-strain curve in uniaxial compression, use the empirical equations given in Popovics
(1973), specifically Eqns. (2) and (3) in that paper. To define the stress-strain/crack opening behaviour in tension use the
following equation due to Hordijk (1991):

In the above, is the tensile stress, ft is the tensile, W is the crack opening and Wc is the critical crack opening. Take c1 =
3, c2 = 6.93, Wc = 160 microns. Calculate ft = 0.3(fc)2/3 MPa, fc being the uniaxial compressive strength, also in MPa. To
model the stiff and flexible plattens: you will need to model equivalent boundary conditions in the numerical model. It is
advisable to use ABAQUS/Explicit and apply the load quasi-statically, although you may do a pure static analysis using
ABAQUS/Standard, though that might present convergence problems.

At some point you will present your results during a viva. At that time the output should include plots (either printed plots
or on your laptop screen) of:
(1) Comparison of the load-displacement curves in all cases
(2) Contour plots of the distribution of tensile & compressive damage in all cases
(3) Width, location, and extent of any shear bands or splitting cracks
(4) Any mesh dependence in the solution, and how you overcame it.
(5) Any other result which you feel is of interest.
During the viva, you will need to explain every aspect of the modeling. Most importantly, you should be able explain the
results you obtained from these numerical experiments, in terms of the theory we studied in class.

References
ABAQUS Analysis Users Manual, v6.9, Simulia Corp., Providence, Rhode Island.
A Numerical Approach to the Complete Stress Strain Curve of Concrete, Popovics S., Cement and Concrete
Research, 3, 1973.
Local approach to Fatigue, Hordijk, P. A, Doctoral thesis, Delft University of Technology, 1991.