Study of constitutive models of DIANA FEA for long-term analysis of pre stressed beams with bonde

Abstract

The work presented here was motivated by the existence of several constitutive models capable of numerically representing the time effect on prestressed beams. The main goal of this study is to analyze different models, comparing their influence on the long-term behavior in prestressed concrete beams. The study compares the behavior of prefabricated concrete beams with bonded post-tensioning using different constitutive models for concrete and steel tendons. The simulation was carried out using DIANA FEA. Some of the models adopted are from design codes, and others from models and theories available in literature. The study proposes a parametric study among the different models as well as the effect of the input parameters on the overall behavior of the structure. The nonlinear behavior of cracked concrete and the steel yield behavior in addition to the creep behavior of the concrete were considered. The results were compared with experimental results of prestressed beams tested for creep analysis for a long period of time. The results pointed out to the importance of choosing the appropriate constitutive model in simulations of prestressed elements.