A nonlinear procedure for the analysis of RC beams

This work deals with the development of a computational method for the nonlinear analysis of reinforced concrete beams subjected to general loading and constraint conditions, able to catch crack formation and propagation. To this aim, a layered beam finite element is developed. The displacement field along beam axis and height is modelled through polynomial functions, whose number of terms is varied based on the complexity of the considered problem. The mechanical nonlinearity of the material is taken into account by implementing a smeared constitutive model for cracked reinforced concrete elements. The effectiveness of the proposed procedure, which can be applied to the analysis of both new and existing buildings, is proved through comparison with significant experimental data from technical literature, relative to both statically determinate and indeterminate beams.