Numerical modelling of fibre-reinforced concrete fatigue in bending

A numerical model for the analysis of concrete under fatigue loading is presented. It is based on viscoplasticity theory, replacing time-dependent with cycle-dependent behaviour. The analysis is performed in a two-step procedure. Initially, loads are monotonically increased until they reach their maximum level of the cyclic process, which is done with a standard non-linear analysis. Then, with the loads fixed at the maximum level, the cycles are applied to the structure and a cycle-dependent analysis is executed. Some examples that illustrate the model behaviour are presented. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.