Modelling of the Nonlinear Behaviour of the Steel and GFRP Reinforced Recycled Aggregate Concrete Slabs Using ANSYS

The use of recycled aggregates in structural reinforced concrete remains limited because of concerns about material quality and the ability to predict structural behaviour reliably. An even greater challenge is the replacement of conventional steel reinforcement with composite reinforcement. Numerical modelling provides an opportunity to improve predictions and support the design of concrete incorporating recycled aggregates. This study investigates two approaches to modelling reinforcement bars (discrete and smeared) in one-way reinforced slabs subjected to three-point bending using the SOLID 65 finite element in ANSYS. Four slabs are modelled using two types of concrete (ordinary concrete and RAC) and two types of reinforcement (steel and GFRP). The models are verified against experimental results. The ability of the two modelling approaches to capture cracking loads and load-deflection behaviour for different combinations of concrete and reinforcement materials is demonstrated.