Multiscale computational models for the simulation of concrete materials and structures

Concrete is a very complex multiscale material whose behavior at the engineering scale is strongly influenced by the heterogeneous character of its internal material structure. This paper provides an overview of the main features of various length scales in concrete and introduces three multiscale approaches-coarse-graining, bridging scale method, and mathematical homogenization-that can be used to upscale the Lattice Discrete Particle Model (LDPM). LDPM is a meso-scale discrete model that simulates the mechanical behavior of concrete by describing fracture and failure at the scale of coarse aggregate pieces. The efficiency of the presented multiscale methods is presented with reference to numerical examples that include the analysis of reinforced concrete shear walls; wave propagation; and alkalisilica-reaction induced expansion.