Understanding plasticity and damage phenomena in 3D-printed concrete
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This study aims to develop a numerical model to simulate the mechanical behavior of 3D printed concrete. A combined plasticity and non-local damage framework is introduced to capture the mechanical response of the solid filaments. Stiffness degradation is modeled using two scalar damage variables — one for tension and another for compression. Additionally, a cohesive interface law is implemented to model the interactions between printed layers, incorporating damage, unilateral contact, and friction effects. This numerical framework is integrated into a finite element code. An experimental program complements the numerical study, exploring the mechanical properties of 3D-printed concrete through tests such as compression, bending and shear experiments. These tests identify various damage mechanisms and provide data for validating the numerical model. Comparative analysis between experimental results and simulations evaluates the accuracy and performance of the proposed framework. Numerical applications further demonstrate the model's efficiency and its capacity to replicate experimental findings. In summary, the proposed model offers a computationally efficient modeling approach that could be exploited for simulations of 3DPC structures.