Abstract
We present a computational modelling approach aimed at investigating the effect of fibre grid reinforcement on crack opening displacement and fatigue crack propagation. Grid reinforcements are modelled using elastic membrane finite elements, while the cracked concrete is treated using a symmetric boundary element method (BEM), which in particular allows easy geometrical modelling and meshing of cracks. The BEM is accelerated by the fast multipole method, allowing the handling of potentially large BEM models entailed by three-dimensional configurations hosting multiple cracks. Fatigue crack growth is modelled using the Paris law. The proposed computational approach is first verified on a reinforced cracked beam, and then applied to a three-dimensional configuration featuring a grid-reinforced asphalt pavement.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 631-652 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| Journal | Road Materials and Pavement Design |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2023 |
Keywords
- Galerkin BEM
- Grid reinforcement
- crack propagation
- fast multipole method
- surface-breaking crack