Simulating reinforced concrete members. Part 2: Displacement-based analyses

A companion paper described the partial-interaction localised properties that require the development of pseudo properties. If the quantification through experimental testing of these pseudo properties could be removed by the use of mechanics-based models, which is the subject of this paper, then this would: (a) substantially reduce the cost of developing new reinforced concrete products by reducing the amount of testing; (b) increase the accuracy of designing existing and novel reinforced concrete members and structures, bearing in mind that experimentally derived pseudo properties are only applicable within the range of the testing from which they were derived; and (c) reduce the cost and increase the accuracy of developing reinforced concrete design rules. This paper deals with the development of pseudo properties and behaviours directly through mechanics, as opposed to experimental testing, and their incorporation into member global simulations. It also addresses the need for a fundamental shift to displacement-based analyses as opposed to strain-based analyses.