Combined numerical-statistical analyses of Damage and Failure of 2D and 3D Mesoscale Heterogeneous Concrete

Generation and packing algorithms are developed to create models of mesoscale heterogeneous concrete with randomly distributed elliptical/polygonal aggregates and circular/elliptical voids in two-dimension (2D) or ellipsoidal/polyhedral aggregates and spherical/ellipsoidal voids in three-dimension (3D). The generation process is based on the Monte Carlo simulation method wherein the aggregates and voids are generated from prescribed distributions of their size, shape and volume fraction. A combined numerical-statistical method is proposed to investigate damage and failure of mesoscale heterogeneous concrete: the geometrical models are first generated and meshed automatically, simulated by using cohesive zone model, and then results are statistically analysed. Zero-thickness cohesive elements with different traction-separation laws within the mortar, within the aggregates and at the interfaces between these phases are pre-inserted inside solid element meshes to represent potential cracks. The proposed methodology provides an effective and efficient tool for damage and failure analysis of mesoscale heterogeneous concrete, and a comprehensive study was conducted for both 2D and 3D concretes in this paper.