Finite element modeling and an analysis of the stress-strain state of reinforced concrete structures

One of the tasks for engineers in the field of feasibility of strength of designs and constructions of nuclear power plants is the analysis of reactor buildings safety under dynamic loads such as earthquakes, fall aftereffects of a heavy passenger plane, etc. An application of linear-elastic material models and equations of the linear theory of elasticity results in excessively conservative outcomes, designs and constructions parameters being non-optimal economically and technologically. Reinforced concrete bearing elements of the reactor building of the nuclear power plant with wall thicknesses of up to two meters, according to requirements of standard documentation, offers a clear example. This work considers the present-day methods of computational mechanics and uses them for the analysis of stress-strain state of reinforced concrete designs taking into account nonlinear physical and mechanical properties of concrete and the cracking phenomenon.