Numerical analyses of size effect in settlement damage prediction

摘要

In this contribution, the effect of structural size on the level of settlement damage is determined by means of fracture mechanics. After a discussion of size effect associated with tensile softening in quasi-brittle materials, the scaling study of fictitious historical facades subjected to tunnelling-induced ground movements is performed via non-linear finite element analysis. An uncoupled strategy is adopted in order to derive the true structural performance. It turns out that the prediction of the threshold of settlement damage is structural-size dependent.