Techno Press
You logged in as. Techno Press

Structural Engineering and Mechanics
  Volume 66, Number 4, May25 2018 , pages 453-463
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/sem.2018.66.4.453
 


Simulation of crack initiation and propagation in three point bending test using PFC2D
Hadi Haeri, Vahab Sarfarazi, Zheming Zhu, Ahmadreza Hedayat, Maryam Firoozi Nezamabadi and Mohammadamin Karbala

 
Abstract
    Three points bending flexural test was modelled numerically to study the crack propagation in the pre-cracked beams. The pre-existing double internal cracks inside the beam models were considered to investigate the crack propagation and coalescence paths within the modelled samples. Notch configuration effects on the failure stress were considered too. This numerical analysis shown that the propagation of wing cracks emanating from the tips of the pre-existing internal cracks caused the final breaking of beams specimens. It was also shown that when two notches were overlapped, they both mobilized in the failure process and the failure stress was decreased when the notches were located in centre line. However, the failure stress was increased by increasing the bridge area angle. Finally, it was shown that in all cases, there were good agreements between the discrete element method results and, the other numerical and experimental results. In this research, it is tried to improve the understanding of the crack propagation and crack coalescence phenomena in brittle materials which is of paramount importance in the stability analyses of rock and concrete structures, such as the underground openings, rock slopes and tunnel construction.
 
Key Words
    three point bending test; beam; pre-existing double internal cracks
 
Address
Hadi Haeri and Zheming Zhu: College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
Vahab Sarfarazi: Department of Mining Engineering, Hamedan University of Technology, Hamedan, Iran
Ahmadreza Hedayat: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, United States
Maryam Firoozi Nezamabadi: Department of Civil Engineering, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Mohammadamin Karbala: Department of Mining Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran
 

Techno-Press: Publishers of international journals and conference proceedings.       Copyright © 2025 Techno Press
P.O. Box 33, Yuseong, Daejeon 305-600 Korea, Tel: +82-42-828-7996, Fax : +82-42-828-7997, Email: admin@techno-press.com