The concrete delamination induced by prestressing forces is a potential problem of
post-tensioned concrete containments with curved geometry. To investigate the concrete
delamination mechanism, the researchers of the University of Texas at Austin completed
an experimental research project in 2017. In this research project, the academic finite
element method (FEM) program VecTor4, which has powerful shell-type elements for
cracked reinforced concrete shells, was modified and proved to be an appropriate tool to
predict the level of applied prestressing load at the delamination failure.
VecTor4 has a well-defined reinforced concrete material model and capability to
analyze the structures on an overall system level with low computational resources.
However, its user interface has limitations, and the details of the local behavior of
structures may not be captured due to its simplicity. On the other hand, commercial FEM
programs generally provide a convenient graphical-based user interface and various
analysis features. Still, typical commercial FEM programs are not designed to analyze the
concrete structures. Some commercial FEM programs provide concrete material models;
however, they tend to require significant calibration analyses to capture the behavior of
reinforced concrete structures. Specifically, to capture the delamination of concrete walls
with those programs, solid elements should be selected, which should increase the
computational costs. However, commercial FEM programs can potentially provide the
details of the local behavior of structures.
Recently, an experimental test investigating the concrete delamination
phenomenon was conducted. In this recent test, numerical analyses with the commercial
FEM program Abaqus ware conducted as well as the analysis with VecTor4 to explore
other options in commercial FEM programs. This paper will show the analysis results of
both Abaqus and VecTor4 for the recent test. Additionally, the discussion on the relative
merits and limitations of these programs obtained from the experience of the analyses for
the recent test is presented.Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineerin