Calibration and validation of the lattice discrete particle model for ultra high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete

This paper investigates the calibration and validation of a new ultra highperformance concrete (UHPC) named Cortuf using LDPM-F, the Lattice Discrete Particle Model for fiber reinforced concrete. The LDPM-F is a discrete meso-scale model that can accurately describe the macroscopic behavior of concrete in elastic, fracturing, softening, and hardening regimes. LDPM-F has been verified extensively through the analysis of a variety of experimental tests and can reproduce with great accuracy the response of concrete under uniaxial and multiaxial stress states in compression and tension, and under both quasi-static and dynamic loading conditions. The model is calibrated herein by simulating: (1) unconfined and confined compression tests as well as 3-point bending tests on plain Cortuf and (2) single fiber pull-out tests. Afterward, quasi-static compression and tensile validation and prediction experiments were performed. The numerical results are compared to the experimental results both graphically and through failure modes.