The main goal of the present work is to present a comparison between two different strategies for the computational simulation of reinforced concrete structures, both using smeared crack models to represent the behavior of the materials. As a first approach, a multidirectional smeared crack model available in DIANA has been adopted along with different softening rules for the cracked materials (brittle, linear, nonlinear of Moelands-Reinhardt and Hordijk). Additionally, the Disturbed Stress Field Model - DSFM has also been adopted to model cracked concrete as an orthotropic material with smeared rotating cracks. The finite element codes DIANA and VecTor2 have been used to evaluate the performance of the different smeared crack models to predict the behavior of reinforced concrete beams subjected primarily to flexure.
smeared crack; reinforced concrete; finite element method