Mini Symposia > MS7 : Probabilistic aspects of fracture

MS7: Probabilistic aspects of fracture

Organiser: M.Vořechovský (vorechovsky.m@vut.cz)

Concrete is a highly heterogeneous multiphase material with disordered inner structure. Apart from variability in local properties stemming from this irregularity, concrete also exhibits other sources of variability in its mechanical, chemical, and physical properties. In many analyses, such as reliability calculations, this variability must be accounted for. Some models consider local properties of material that transform into strength and ductility to be randomly spatially varying (description of strength in lattice, lattice-particle, and continuum models). An important subject is the distribution of strength of local material properties. This can be studied using the classical fiber bundle models, chain of bundles and bundles of chains. Reliability is an issue in development of design codes. Topics relevant to the Minisymposium include, but are not limited to:

• Probabilistic damage/failure mechanics and mechanisms;
• Statistical size effects;
• Probability distribution of concrete strength at various length scales using models with serial and parallel coupling of units with random strengths;
• Reliability of concrete structures with spatially varying properties;
• Strength variability and its reflection in design codes;
• Statistical treatment of databases such as the ACI-DAfStb Database of Shear Tests;
• Probabilistic modeling of fatigue;