Meso-scale modeling of the compressive mechanical behavior of concrete by a RVE-based BEM formulation

A 2 D Boundary Element Method (BEM) formulation, based on the representative volume element (RVE) concept, simulates the mechanical behavior of experimentally tested concrete under compression. A step-by-step parametric identification is presented. Considering different modeling for the fracture process at ITZ (Interfacial Transition Zone), the experimental results are captured when this phenomenon is modeled only around bigger aggregates. Besides, the size and quantity of the aggregates do not have great influence on the concrete mechanical behavior and the insertion of porosity in the mortar domain is very important. The proposed numerical model is efficient, robust, and accurate.