ADVANCED NUMERICAL MODELS FOR SEISMIC DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF RC COLUMNS

The adequate modelling of the nonlinear cyclic demand of structural elements is deemed crucial to ensure a reduced level of uncertainty in the numerical estimates of the seismic behavior of structures. Usually, fiber-based or plastic-hinge models are considered when response history analyses are performed. Pros and cons emerge from the use of both models in what concerns to the identification of the local physical damage of the element, the global behavior of the structure and the corresponding computational time and complexity of the analyses. Moreover, the calibration of these models is not always straightforward, often leading to erroneous assumptions for the definition of the modelling parameters. Even when experimental data is used, questions arise in the calibration of these parameters with the intention to use an effective and systematic procedure for different structural elements. The work presented in this paper addresses the definition of a comprehensive framework for the advanced numerical modelling of reinforced concrete members, using finite elements and nonlinear models for the concrete and steel materials. The accuracy of the modelling approach is assessed through comparisons with experimental results, considering several response parameters that represent the damage state of the element when it is subjected to monotonic and cyclic loading, such as, energy dissipation, chord rotation, crack width and extension, plastic hinge length, history of internal forces and deformations, etc.