NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF CONCRETE BLOCK PRISMS UNDER COMPRESSION

This paper presents a comparison between experimental and numerical analysis of concrete block prisms under compression loads. The main goal of the study is to simulate the behavior of prisms based on the behavior of blocks and mortar joints using a numerical non-local damage model specially developed for quasi-brittle materials. An experimental program, with displacement control, is carried out to determine damage parameters and the complete loaddisplacement diagram of the prisms. Numerical models are then used to evaluate the behavior of the prisms. Obtained results show that the considered non-local damage model is able to predict the failure and the softening regime of the prisms.