DIC method applied in the calibration of FEA model of rock-mortar cohesive interface

Abstract

Abstract In civil engineering, the stability of many structures depends on the physical properties of the contact between the concrete seated on the rocky foundation surface. Usually, they are critical structures of great importance to society, such as: bridges, tunnels and dams. Thus, the shear behavior of rock-concrete joints is a key factor of the structural stability. The method of cohesive zones (CZM) allows to simulate the beginning of the formation of a crack and its propagation, without knowing the crack location or when it will start. Thus, in this work, a numerical model was developed capable of simulating the failure due to interfacial delamination of the contact between a structure formed by mortar seated on a rocky granite leaning surface. The calibration of the numerical model was performed using the experimental test results of simple compression on a block of rock in contact with the mortar by an inclined interface. The test was monitored using a high-resolution digital camera. The data were processed using the digital image correlation method (DIC) to obtain displacement data of the laboratory test. The DIC results were used to calibrate the nonlinear numerical model of the test using the bilinear method of cohesive zone in the rock-mortar interfacial contact elements. By a parametric analysis varying the maximum shear stress parameter of the contact cohesive elements, the bilinear law was adjusted (Maximum tensile stress and critical displacement and damage rate). Indirectly, the rate of release of energy of critical deformation from the rupture of the contact was also estimated.