Reliability analysis of reinforced concrete beams using finite element models
Wellison Jose de Santana Gomes1
1 Federal University of Santa Catarina
doi:10.20906/CPS/CILAMCE2017-0145
Resumo
Modelling of reinforced concrete (RC) structures for reliability analysis purposes is a challenging task, for which in many cases only numerical solutions are available. This paper presents an application of reliability analysis to the specific case of RC beams subject to four-point bending tests, and considers two different finite element models developed using ANSYS. The first model employs the SOLID65 element to model the concrete, combining the Willam-Warnke and the Von Mises criteria, while the second employs the SOLID185 element and the microplane theory. In both cases, the steel reinforcement is modeled by LINK180 elements, considering a bilinear isotropic material and the Von Mises failure criteria. The models are calibrated using experimental results and applied in the reliability analysis of a RC beam under various load levels. A limit state function based on a maximum allowable displacement is adopted. The results indicate that only the Microplane model is suitable for reliability analysis of RC structures, since the Solid65 model experiences many convergence problems. Also, it is shown that, for the limit state and conditions considered, the First Order Reliability Method is accurate enough to solve the problem at hand.
Palavras-chave: Reinforced concrete; Reliability Analysis; Finite Element Method; Finite Element Model; Structural Reliability; Nonlinear analysis