Damage and Failure Process of Concrete Structure under Uniaxial Compression Based on Peridynamics Modeling

Peridynamics is a nonlocal formulation of continuum mechanics, which uses integral formulation rather than the spatial partial differential equations. The peridynamic approach avoids using any spatial derivatives, which arise naturally in the classical local theory. It has shown effectiveness and advantage in solving discontinuous problems at both macro- and microscales. In this paper, the peridynamic theory is used to analyze damage and progressive failure of concrete structures. A nonlocal peridynamic model for concrete columns under uniaxial compression is developed. Numerical example illustrates that cracks in a peridynamic body of concrete form spontaneously. The result of the example clarifies the unique advantage of modeling damage accumulation and progressive failure of concrete based on peridynamic theory. This study provides a new promising alternative for analyzing complicated discontinuity problems. Finally, some open problems and future research trends in peridynamics are discussed.