Author(s)

A. Goretti

Abstract

Cohesive crack propagation in coarse mesh A. Goretti Dip. to Ing. Strutt. e Geot., Universita di Roma, 'La Sapienza', Via Eudossiana 18, 00184, Rome, Italy ABSTRACT Analysis of crack propagation with cohesive model and coarse mesh involves some numerical difficulties, not always physical, depending on poor representation of the fracture process zone. Even though refining the mesh seems the best way to circumvent the pathology, the paper analyses in detail the structural behaviour when a coarse mesh is adopted to simulate fracture propagation in 3PB specimens. INTRODUCTION Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics have played a fundamental role since the early sixties (Kaplan [1]) to predict the concrete response during crack propagation. However the hypothesis that the fracturing process occurrs at a point in the structure is not consistent with the large amount of energy dissipated by a highly microfractured portion of material

Keywords