Athira Vadakkekkara, M.Sc
Beethovenstraße 51
38106 Braunschweig
Telefon: 0531/391-3689
Forschungsvorhaben:
Numerical modelling of damage behaviour of concrete
Concrete is the most versatile material used in the field of civil engineering. Concrete structures generally consist of numerous micro-cracks and the accumulation and propagation of these cracks might lead to a growth of major cracks and ultimately result in failure under service loads, accidental load and/or exposure to regular environmental conditions. Hence, it is important to develop advanced methods to assess the damage state and to predict the failure mechanisms of aged structures as there are many constructions that are either approaching their expected service life, or possibly require damage assessment and maintenance due to loading and environmental conditions. Early detection of damage/cracks in the structures would also help to carry out suitable repair/maintenance required at the right time.
Numerical models can be considered as a very reliable alternative to conducting expensive experiments to study the failure mechanisms of concrete structures. Through my research, I will develop advanced numerical approaches to investigate the anisotropic damage behavior of concrete. The coupled inelastic-damage response of concrete is simulated using finite element methods. The aim of this research is to propose material models based on continuum mechanics framework that can effectively predict the failure mechanisms of concrete structures under various types of loading.