Notched beam specimen flexure through modified crack propagation finite element model

Abstract

Cohesive Zone Models (CZMs) are valuable tools in finite element modeling of crack propagation in concrete structures, including concrete pavements. A recent 2D crack element, developed by Sen & Khazanovich (2021), provides a simplified and computationally efficient approach for modeling crack behavior, including the simulation of concrete's flexural performance. While effective, the model does not currently account for notched beam geometries, which are essential for comparisons with experimental data. Additionally, the existing solution procedure involves matrix inversions for all elements, including those with unchanged stiffness, leading to computational inefficiencies. This paper extends the crack element model by incorporating notched beam geometry and introducing a modified solution procedure to reduce computational demands. Results show that increasing notch depth decreases tensile strength, while sensitivity to the kink-point ratio in the bilinear traction law remains limited. The proposed modifications significantly enhance computational performance and accuracy, laying the groundwork for future calibration and validation against experimental data.