Finite element simulation of chemo-mechanical damage under cyclic loading conditions

A model for the coupled analysis of chemo-mechanical deterioration of concrete is developed within the theory of mixtures. As a particular example for corrosive mechanisms, the material degradation due to coupled calcium leaching and mechanical damage is investigated. The coupling of the calcium dissolution-diffusion and the elasto-damage process is based on the definition of the total porosity as the sum of the initial porosity, the porosity caused by calcium dissolution and the apparent porosity due to mechanical damage. The evolution of the mechanically and chemically induced porosities is controlled by internal parameters and related evolution laws. This enables the modeling of cyclic mechanical as well as cyclic chemical loadings. The suitability of the model is investigated by means of a finite element simulation of a beam subjected to combined mechanical loading and chemical attack.