Utilization of Nonlinear Finite Elements for the Design and Assessment of Large Concrete Structures. I: Calibration and Validation
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 141, Issue 9
Abstract
This two-part paper is an application of advanced nonlinear finite-element analyses (ANFEA) for the design or assessment of large concrete structures. It presents an innovative application of ANFEA that reveals many important aspects of numerical modeling and safety verification, starting from the material up to the structural level and going from calibration and validation to the prediction level. A complex hydraulic structure with large members and nonconventional boundary conditions is taken as the target design structure (TDS). Following a two-step procedure that was proposed in a previous paper, the model error is first computed for two candidate concrete models (part 1). Using the selected concrete model and the corresponding model error, the global resistance factor is computed in a second step for the TDS (part 2). This first part is related to the calibration and validation assessments for the ANFEA models of concrete structures. These issues can be viewed as two basic steps within the verification and validation process (V&V) that has been adopted in other engineering fields. In the calibration procedure, the size effect phenomenon, which is a major parameter for the TDS, is considered. The distinction between size effect statistical (material) and deterministic (energetic) components is highlighted, and a new approach for considering each contribution is presented. The validation process is undertaken from the material to the structural level. It is shown through this process that the use of only the compressive strength of concrete and the yield stress of reinforcement are sufficient with one candidate concrete model in order to obtain a relatively low coefficient of variation of model error. The paper illustrates a general methodology that can be applied with any ANFEA software to design or assess the safety level of unusual concrete structures.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support obtained from Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC) of Canada, the Center for Research on Concrete Infrastructures of Quebec (FQRNT-CRIB), and the Quebec Ministry of Transportation.
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Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 141 • Issue 9 • September 2015
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 1, 2013
Accepted: Jul 31, 2014
Published online: Oct 16, 2014
Discussion open until: Mar 16, 2015
Published in print: Sep 1, 2015
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