Crack-Informed Modelling of Reinforced Concrete Structures

This chapter introduces a crack-informed modelling approach for assessing reinforced concrete (RC) members, focusing on utilizing concrete crack width and crack inclination as key parameters. The model, based on the disturbed stress field model (DSFM), is designed for a single cracked RC element under biaxial stress conditions and aims to improve assessment accuracy by incorporating visual concrete cracking data. The text presents a comprehensive validation of the proposed model using three series of laboratory tests, including orthogonally reinforced concrete panel elements subjected to pure shear loading, uniaxially reinforced panel elements under pure shear or uniaxial tension, and orthogonally reinforced elements subjected to a combination of axial and shear loads. The results demonstrate the model's effectiveness in estimating the stress-strain response of panels under various loading conditions. Additionally, the text discusses the concept of residual strength and its importance in assessing the state of damage in RC members. The conclusions highlight the model's suitability for most specimens, its limitations in cases of immediate failure after initial cracking, and the potential for resolving this issue in the finite element implementation of the proposed model.