Concurrent multiscale analysis of heterogeneous materials

Concurrent multiscale analysis of quasi-brittle heterogeneous materials such as concrete and rock is conducted employing non-overlapping domain decomposition techniques. Initially, a coarse discretization with effective properties is considered at each domain. A zoom-in technique is performed at those domains in which non-linearities take place. The coarse mesh is replaced with a fine discretization which includes the lower scale constituents, e.g. aggregates or reinforcement. The present framework captures the interaction between the mesoscopic constituents and the strain/stress fields. The resulting crack path is in agreement with the one obtained with direct numerical simulations. It is shown that the interscale relations enforced at the interface between coarse and fine domains play an important role in the global response of the material.