LAUSR

For correct description of cracking process in reinforced concrete structural elements, the simulation of the behaviour of steel rebarconcrete interface is always of primary importance. This paper proposes a simplified method to model the steel rebar-concrete interface in RC structures. The proposed method considers the introduction of massive elasto-plastic isotropic bond element as steel rebarconcrete interface. Stress-strain behaviour curve required for elasto-plastic isotropic material is obtained by performing conventional pull-out tests on concrete. For plain concrete matrix, an orthotropic damage model based on plasticity and damage theories was adopted for finite element modelling in Finite Element (FE) code CASTEM. In order to validate the proposed approach, a comprehensive experimental program was designed and carried out. Under this program, pure tension test on RC prisms and flexural test on RC beams were performed. Testing of proposed steel rebar-concrete interface bond model in numerical simulation of RC prism subjected to pure tension and RC beam in flexure, and comparison of numerical simulation results with experimental data is also discussed in this paper.