Three-Dimensional Mesoscopic Modelling of Concrete Confined by FRP Under Static and Dynamic Loading

Abstract

The strengthening of concrete materials has become one of the most important aspects in the design of any civil engineering structure, leading to a number of research to investigate and improve its mechanical behavior. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanical behavior of concrete confined with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) under static and dynamic loading using a simple and thorough method. Two identical mesoscale concrete specimens and one FRP layer were created (concrete cylinder with a diameter of 50 mm, a depth of 100 mm, and the FRP layers with 1.27 mm of thickness) to compare the Finite element results to those of an existing experiment and a similar study previously conducted. The mechanical behavior of the simulated confined and unconfined concrete was compared to the mechanical behavior of an experiment with the same specimen size ratio. The localized phenomena in each element were considered in order to investigate the overall reaction of the created specimens, driven by the fact that concrete is a heterogeneous material made up of coarse particles, ITZ (Interfacial Transition Zone), and mortar. The parameters such as unconfined strength of concrete, maximum tensile, and maximum confinement stress are determined utilizing the confining pressure generated by the wrapped Fiber Reinforced Polymer on the three-dimensional mesoscopic concrete model based on the concrete-to-FRP confinement mechanism. From the findings of the investigation carried in this work, it is demonstrated that this study provides substantial insights into the question of strengthening and improving the mechanical behavior of concrete specimens subjected to static and dynamic loading.