FE analysis of a coupled energetic-statistical size effect in plain concrete beams with varying material properties

The numerical FE investigations of a coupled energetic-statistical size effect in unnotched concrete beams of similar geometry under quasi-static three point bending were performed within elasto-plasticity with non-local softening. The stochastic FE analyses were carried out with three different beam sizes. Deterministic calculations were performed with the uniform distribution of a uniaxial tensile strength. In statistical calculations cross-correlated random fields were used to describe the spatial fluctuation of material randomness. Stochastic simulations were made with varying uniaxial tensile strength, initial fracture energy and elastic modulus. The effect of independently and simultaneously varying material parameter was investigated.