COMPARISON AND LINKING BETWEEN LDPM AND FDEM MODELING FOR FRACTURING IN CONCRETE

The strain distribution and strain concentrations that lead to fractures in concrete weight coating (CWC) for pipelines have been extensively studied. However, to the extent of the authors’ knowledge, the development and propagation of cracks during the loading, and their influence on the composite behavior has not been as thoroughly examined. This study compares two distinct finite element models that explicitly account for crack propagation, namely FDEM and LDPM as applied to CWC. The mechanical properties (eg, compressive strength and splitting tensile strength) and a microscopic assessment of crack development were utilized to calibrate and validate the models. LDPM uses Voronoi-like cells for elements, while FDEM relies on tetrahedral elements, and both exhibit a good fit with experimental results.