Influences of Pre-Existing Fissure Angles and Bridge Angles on Concrete Tensile Failure Characteristics: Insights from Meshless Numerical Simulations

Abstract

The existence of cracks is a key factor affecting the strength of concrete. However, traditional numerical methods still have some limitations in the simulation of crack growth in fissured concrete structures. Based on this background, the numerical treatment method of particle failure in smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is proposed, and the generation method for concrete meso-structures under the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) framework is developed. The concrete meso-models under different pre-existing micro-fissure inclinations and bridge angles (the inner tip line of the double pre-existing micro-fissure is defined as a bridge, and the angle between the bridge and the horizontal direction is defined as the bridge angle) were established, and numerical simulations of the crack propagation processes of concrete structures under tensile stress were carried out. The main findings were as follows: The concrete meso-structures and the pre-existing micro-fissures all have great impacts on the final failure modes of concrete. The stress–strain curve of the concrete model presents four typical stages. Finally, the crack initiation and propagation mechanisms of fissured concrete are discussed, and the application of smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) in crack simulations of fissured concrete is prospected.