Crack modeling in CANDE

[PAK_ENG]

Hi all. I am doing a load rating of a concrete arch bridge in CANDE. Structure has a crack on the underside of one of the segments. Any ideas on how to model this in CANDE for the load rating? Thanks!

 

[IDS]

Hi all. I am doing a load rating of a concrete arch bridge in CANDE. Structure has a crack on the underside of one of the segments. Any ideas on how to model this in CANDE for the load rating? Thanks!

How large a crack is it? Normal flexural cracks are usually ignored in the analysis of buried structures. If it is a large crack that may indicate yielding of the reinforcement it could be modelled as a hinge to give a lower bound check for the stiffness at that location.

I am not a CANDE user, but I assume it is possible to assign special material properties to individual elements in the model. If not, it may be necessary to use different software.