Fatigue damage in bending of reinforced concrete frames using non-destructive tests for dynamic strength of the cylinder

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the solution of the fatigue damage problem of reinforced concrete frames in bending. Design/methodology/approach The problem of fatigue damage is formulated based on the rheological-dynamical analogy, including a scalar damage variable to address the reduction of stiffness in strain softening. The modal analysis is used by the finite element method for the determination of modal parameters and resonance stability of the selected frame cross-section. The objectivity of the presented method is verified by numerical examples, predicting the ductility in bending of the frame whose basic mechanical properties were obtained by non-destructive testing systems. Findings The modal analysis in the frame of the finite element method is suitable for the determination of modal parameters and resonance stability of the selected frame cross-section. It is recommended that the modulus of elasticity be determined by non-destructive methods, e.g. from the acoustic response. Originality/value The paper presents a novel method of solving the ductility in bending taking into account both the creep coefficient and the aging coefficient. The rheological-dynamical analogy (RDA) method uses the resonant method to find material properties. The characterization of the structural damping via the damping ratio is original and effective.