Abstract This study investigates the numerical modeling of internal tendon breaks in prestressed concrete structures and evaluates the key parameters affecting accuracy. A combined approach is followed, involving global sensitivity analysis via the Elementary Effects Method and subsequent model calibration using experimental data from distributed fiber‐optic sensors. A finite element model is implemented in ABAQUS , using the non‐linear Concrete Damage Plasticity constitutive law and accounting for geometrical non‐linearity by explicitly modeling the bond between concrete and tendon. The sensitivity study identifies four critical parameters, namely Young's modulus of concrete, friction coefficient, initial contact pressure, and contact clearance, as most influential on the surface strain field. These are calibrated using strain measurements from tendon break experiments on beams with varying geometries employing different concretes and tendon types. Based on the calibration results the computational model is geometrically scaled to a full‐size box girder. The results demonstrate how prestressing level, tendon depth, and bond characteristics influence the detectability of internal tendon breaks and provide valuable insights for optimizing numerical models used in structural health monitoring of existing prestressed concrete structures.
Paul et al. (Wed,) studied this question.