Coupled Simulation of Fracture Mechanics and Transport of Chlorid in Cracked Concrete Submitted to Permanent Loading

Abstract

Several models for chloride ingress are being developed in order to calculate service life of the reinforcement. This work presents a numerical solution to approach the behavior of a highly corroded beam in presence of chloride environment during 26 years. In order to make the study, a comparison of the numerical pattern of fracture with the real specimen found during the experimental test was made and also was compared the real curve charge-displacement with the numerical simulation. In this work, we apply cohesive and embedded theories of fracture to study the cracking process induced by corrosion. The volume change resulted from oxidation is implemented as a radial displacement imposed at the concrete-steel interface. The numerical model reproduces also the patterns of the opening of cracks observed in the experimental data of a 26 years old concrete beam exposed to chloride environment supplied by The Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) in France where this work was carried out.