3D Solid Finite-Element Analysis of Cyclically Loaded RC Structures Allowing Embedded Reinforcement Slippage

It is a well established experimental fact that slippage of reinforcement may sometimes play an important role in the response of cyclically loaded reinforced concrete (RC) structures, especially in cases of beam-column subassemblages. In the past, analyses with 2D plane or 3D solid finite elements that assume a nonlinear bond-slip relationship to describe an arbitrary response of the interface have only been performed using elements connecting concrete nodes with discrete reinforcement nodes. This modeling exhibits restrictions in the bar topology, which can be removed only with embedded reinforcement formulations. In the present work, a 3D solid element, based on a simple smeared crack one-parameter model that describes concrete’s triaxial stress-strain behavior is extended for cases of cyclically loaded RC structures, allowing embedded reinforcement slippage. This modeling is combined with an existing bond-slip mathematical description to give stable numerical results. The proposed procedure is applied successfully in a long anchorage rebar test, as well as two cases of bond critical exterior and interior column-beam joints, and numerical results compare well with existing experimental data.