Discussion of 'Size Effect in Concrete Columns: Finite-Element Analysis with Microplane Model' by Michele Brocca and Zdenek P. Bazant

摘要

The writers have brought up a subject which is certainly not well known to practicing engineers, namely, the size effect on the failure stress of the concrete in columns. It appears that this effect is large enough to call into question current design methods in wide use. Some of the tallest buildings in the world are now built of concrete. Also, for architectural reasons, it is sometimes desired to have a few, heavily loaded columns, rather than more numerous lightly loaded ones. Because of these practices it is now common to have columns which are much larger than in the past.