A finite volume-based cyclic constitutive model for reinforced concrete

This paper proposes a new three-dimensional cyclic constitutive model for reinforced concrete structure based on the explicit finite volume method. These developments are based and largely inspired on Sellier’s model (Sellier et al., 2013a; Sellier & Millard, 2019) which is a plastic-damage model that already integrates several essential phenomena such as crack opening and reclosure, shear failures and the behavior of reinforcements. However, to ensure optimal efficiency under cyclic loading, improvements will be made to the compressive behavior of concrete as well as on the cyclic behavior of reinforcements. It was decided to implement this enhanced model on a program based on the explicit finite volume method because this method allows the efficient resolution of highly nonlinear systems. However, strict criteria must be defined to guarantee the stability and convergence of the calculations. To validate these developments, the model results will be compared with experimental tests carried out at the specimen and structure scales.