Numerical approach of the steel-concrete bond behavior using pull-out models

ABSTRACT This paper deals with the analysis of monotonic loading behavior in pull-out tests. The main objective is to obtain a reliable numerical model to represent the steel-concrete bond behavior using previously obtained experimental results. The tests were performed in RILEM pull-out specimen using 10 mm steel bar and concrete with compressive strength of 30 MPa. The numerical study used Ansys® software, based on FEM (Finite Elements Method). The numerical simulation adopted non-linear constitutive relationships to represent the behavior of both concrete and steel. A contact surface composed of special finite elements modeled the interface between the concrete and the steel bar, allowing a steel–concrete slip. The numerical analysis performed with variation of the main parameters of the software permitted determining the best ones, and choosing them to obtain a good representation of the bond phenomena. The numerical results had a good agreement with the experimental results. Both linear and non-linear approaches represented the pre-peak behavior, however only the non-linear model gave the best approach for the pull-out force. In addition, the numerical results had shown the simplified model can be used to represent the steel-concrete bond behavior reducing the processing time for current structures analysis.