Spatial representation of fiber bridging forces in strain-hardening cement composites

Abstract

Abstract. This research involves the development of lattice models of strain-hardening cement composites (SHCC), in which the individual fibers are explicitly represented. The pullout forces of fibers are derived from micromechanical bases and distributed along the fiber embedment lengths. This spatial representation of the fiber bridging forces provides realistic representations of stress transfer between the fiber and matrix, which is essential for simulating crack openings and crack spacing in SHCC. Multiple cracking produces islands of material interconnected by fiber bridges, which places unusual demands on the solution procedure. A special event-by-event solution strategy is adopted for this reason.