Softened Damage-Plasticity Model for Analysis of Cracked Reinforced Concrete Structures

This paper develops a new damage-plasticity model considering the compression-softening effect of RC. The model is based on the framework of a two-scalar damage-plasticity model, and adopts the elastoplastic damage energy release rates as the driven force of damage. To account for the compression-softening effect caused by transverse cracks of RC under shear, a softening coefficient is introduced in the model. With the modification, the new damage model can be used to simulate the typical shear behavior of cracked RC structures, which may not be captured by those models developed for plain concrete. Some computational aspects are also discussed. Finally, the model is validated through material tests and a series of RC member tests, and the results indicate that the proposed model has good performance in nonlinear analysis of RC structures. (c) 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.