ABSTRACT
Abstract This paper presents an overview of one of the most powerful models used so far to describe the fracture of concrete and other quasi-brittle materials. This model, introduced by Hillerborg in the seventies, may be considered as an extension of the classical Barenblatt approach, the extension consisting in that the cohesive zone is no longer constrained to be very small relative to the crack and to the remaining dimensions of the specimen. After summarizing the basic features of the model, the paper briefly discusses the computational strategies available for solving cohesive crack problems, and the experimental methods at hand to obtain the material properties. Finally, test results on unnotched concrete beams are presented which show that the cohesive crack model can describe very well the fracture behavior of concrete even when no precrack is present. Keywords: Concrete, Fracture Models, Cohesive Crack, Nonlocal Models, Softening Function.
