Evaluation of Sequentially Linear Finite Element Analysis to Simulate Nonlinear Response of Cement-Based Composites

摘要

This paper presents a brief study of sequentially linear analysis compared with traditional nonlinear analysis to simulate the response of small-scale, slender beams made of mortar and of engineered cementitious composites, a class of high-performance fiber-reinforced cement-based composites, subjected to four-point bending. Nonlinear finite element analyses are conducted using a smeared crack model and sequentially linear analyses are conducted using in one case, a saw-tooth model to preserve fracture energy dissipation. Load-displacement response, tensile strain history, cracking behavior, and convergence of the analyses are discussed. It was found that both the nonlinear and sequential linear analyses were able to predict similar load-displacement responses as well as similar cracking patterns and failure modes as were observed in the experiments. The sequential linear analyses were easily able to simulate a snapback behavior. Mesh sensitivity was also observed in the analyses, as fracture energy-dependent models were not adopted for these comparisons.