Mesh refinement ergodicity in heterogeneous concrete fracture a combined virtual - interface element approach

In this paper, an efficient procedure for modeling complex fracture processes in concrete structures is presented that comprises a combination of virtual and interface elements and exploits observed statistical ergodicity. Herein, concrete is modeled as a heterogeneous material comprising matrix and aggregate components. The proposed procedure is motivated by the ergodic behavior exhibited with respect to the configuration of the mesh and of the aggregates. Additionally, the influence of the matrix, aggregate, and interface material properties on the efficacy of the procedure is studied. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed ergodic procedure represents an accurate and efficient tool for the analysis of complex fracture processes in heterogeneous concrete structures.