Thermo‐hygro‐mechanical analysis of concrete

The computational analysis of thermohygrometric and mechanical behaviour of concrete structures is carried out by the finite element method. The theoretical approach used to obtain the governing differential equations for heat and moisture transfer is based on the procedure of averaging continuum equations applied to heat and mass transfer and drying processes. According to that model the same set of equations is used to represent both the saturated zone (if present), the unsaturated one and the water-vapour phase changes. The mechanical formulation is based on the virtual work principle and incorporates Prony-Dirichlet series expansion to represent the relaxation or creep functions, avoiding the memorization of the whole strain or stress history. Damage effects are taken into account within a coupled formulation. (from Authors)