Encontro Nacional BETO ESTRUTURAL - BE2012

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Constitutive Concrete and Durability Models in the
new fib Model Code 2010



Frank Dehn
1



ABSTRACT

The paper will provide a brief overview about the decisive constitutive relations and materials models
given in Chapter 5.1 of the new fib Model Code 2010.

Keywords: Model Code 2010, constitutive models, NSC, HSC/HPC, LWC, SCC, green concrete


1. INTRODUCTION

In Chapter 5.1 of the new fib Model Code 2010 a comprehensive overview about the constitutive
relations and material models of a wide range of concrete types is given covering normal strength,
lightweight and high strength concretes up to a characteristic compressive strength of 120 N/mm.
Most of the provided constitutive models are also applicable for concretes with a highly flowable
consistency, e.g. self-compacting concretes (SCC). In case of so-called green concretes, the material
models may be only applied when the composition of those concrete types deviates from the
composition of ordinary structural concrete only by the substitution of a certain amount of
cementitious extenders - such as fly ash, silica fume, blast furnace slag and natural pozzolans.

In the following chapters of this paper some essential new information and explanations are given for
constitutive relations referring to mechanical properties (chapter 2), time-dependant deformations
(chapter 3) and durability characteristics (chapter 4) of the aforementioned types of concrete.
However, the paper deals not with basic knowledge about concrete and cementitious materials.


2. CONSTITUTIVE MODELS IN fib MODEL CODE 2010 - MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

In the new fib Model Code 2010 concrete is classified according to its compressive strength f
c
. This
classification is further subdivided into strength classes designated by the 5 % fractile values of the
compressive strength - the so-called characteristic value - determined both on cylinders (d/h =
150/300 mm; f
ck
) and cubes (edge length a = 150 mm; f
ck,cube
).


1
Leipzig Institute for Materials Research and Testing (MFPA) / Leipzig University; dehn@mfpa-leipzig.de
Constitutive Concrete and Durability Models in the new fib Model Code 20120

2
With this concept 95 % of the tested samples in the defined strength class exceed the requested
minimum strength at a concrete age of 28 days.


2.1 Compressive Strength

All relations given in the new fib Model Code 2010 are valid for strength classes ranging from
characteristic cylinder strengths of 8 N/mm up to 120 N/mm. An overview on the defined strength
classes is given in Table 1.

Table 1. Strength classes for normal weight concretes according to EN 206-1:2001 and
classification according to fib Model Code 2010
Concrete type Strength class f
ck
/f
ck,cube

Low strength
concrete
C8/10 C12/15 C16/20 - - - -
Normal strength
concrete
C20/25 C25/30 C 30/37 C35/45 C40/50 C45/55 C50/60
High strength
concrete
C55/67 C60/75 C 70/85 C80/95 C90/105 C100/115 -
Ultra high strength
concrete
1)

C110/130, C120/140
1) not included in EN 206-1:2001


2.2 Tensile Strength and Fracture Properties

The tensile and compressive strength are not proportional against each other, and particularly for
higher strength grades an increase in compressive strength leads only to a minor increase of the tensile
strength. For this reason, two different formulas (Eq. (1) and (2)) are suggested in the fib Model
Code 2010 for a first estimate of the mean value of tensile strength f
ctm
in [N/mm] from the
characteristic compressive strength f
ck
. Other proposed formulas to be used for such estimations may
be found in [3].

( )
2 3
0 3
ctm ck
f . f = Concrete grades C50/60 (1)
( ) ( )
2 12 1 0 1
ctm ck
f . ln . f f = + + Concrete grades > C50/60 (2)

where:

f
ck
is the characteristic compressive strength according to Table 1 in [N/mm]
f = 8 N/mm

The lower and upper values of the characteristic tensile strength f
ctk,min
and f
ctk,max
may be estimated by
using Eqs. (3) and (4), respectively:

f
ctk,min
= 0.7f
ctm
(3)
f
ctk,max
= 1.3f
ctm
(4)

In the case of LWC, the ratio between tensile and compressive strength is generally lower in
comparison to normal weight concrete. This is considered in the new fib Model Code 2010 by means
of a so-called reduction factor
l
according to Eq. (5):

Frank Dehn

3

l
= (0.4+0.6/2200) (5)

where is the oven-dry density of the lightweight concrete in [kg/m].


2.3 Modulus of Elasticity and Poissons Ratio

The modulus of elasticity E
ci
as obtained from Eqs. (6) and (7) is defined as the tangent modulus of
elasticity at the origin of the stress-strain diagram. Values for the modulus of elasticity for normal
weight concrete with natural sand and gravel can be estimated from the specific characteristic
compressive strength by using Eq. (6):

1 3
0
10
ck
ci c E
f f
E E
+ | |
=
|
\
(6)
where:

E
ci
is the modulus of elasticity in [N/mm] at concrete age of 28 days
f
ck
is the characteristic strength in [N/mm]
f = 8 N/mm
E
c0
= 21.510
3
N/mm

E
is 1.0 for quartzite aggregates. For different types of aggregate qualitative values for
E
are
given in Table 2

Compared to the use of quartzite aggregates the modulus of elasticity can be increased by 20 % or
decreased by 30 % only by changing the types of aggregate. Eq. (6) and the following Table 2 give the
qualitative changes of
E
in the modulus of elasticity for different types of aggregate.

Table 2. Effect of type of aggregates on the modulus of elasticity E
ci

Types of aggregate
E

E
c0

E
[N/mm]
Basalt, dense limestone aggregates
Quartzite aggregates
Limestone aggregates
Sandstone aggregates
1.2
1.0
0.9
0.7
25800
21500
19400
15100

Where the actual compressive strength of concrete at an age of 28 days f
cm
is known E
ci
may be
estimated from Eq. (7):

1 3
0
10
cm
ci c E
f
E E
| |
=
|
\
(7)

The modulus of elasticity for lightweight concrete E
lci
can be estimated from Eq. (8):

lci E ci
E E = (8)

where:

E
=
2
2200
| |
|
\

is the oven-dry density of the lightweight concrete in [kg/m]
Constitutive Concrete and Durability Models in the new fib Model Code 20120

4
E
ci
is the modulus of elasticity in [N/mm] according to Eq. (6) or (7); here
E
= 1.0 for all types
of lightweight aggregates

Where only an elastic analysis of a concrete structure needs to be carried out a reduced modulus of
elasticity E
c
according to Eq. (9) should be used in order to account for initial plastic strain, causing
some irreversible deformations.
ci i c
E E = (9)
where:

0 8 0 2 1 0
88
cm
i
f
. . . = + (10)
Values of the tangent modulus E
ci
and the reduced modulus E
c
for different concrete grades are given
in Table 3.

Table 3. Tangent modulus and reduced modulus of elasticity
Concrete grade C12 C16 C20 C25 C30 C35 C40 C45 C50
E
ci
[GPa]

27.1 28.8 30.3 32.0 33.6 35.0 36.3 37.5 38.6
E
c
[GPa]

22.9 24.6 26.2 28.0 29.7 31.4 33.0 34.5 36.0

i
0.845 0.855 0.864 0.875 0.886 0.898 0.909 0.920 0.932
Concrete grade C55 C60 C70 C80 C90 C100 C110 C120
E
ci
[GPa]

39.7 40.7 42.6 44.4 46.0 47.5 48.9 50.3
E
c
[GPa]

37.5 38.9 41.7 44.4 46.0 47.5 48.9 50.3

i
0.943 0.955 0.977 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0

The modulus of elasticity for lightweight concrete E
lc
can be estimated by multiplying E
c
with the
reduction factor
E
given in Eq. 8:

lc E c
E E = (11)

For a range of stresses -0.6 f
ck
<
c
< 0.8 f
ctk
, the Poissons ratio of concrete
c
ranges between 0.14
and 0.26. Regarding the significance of
c
for the design of members, especially the influence of crack
formation at the Ultimate Limit State (ULS), the estimation of
c
= 0.20 meets the required accuracy.
The value of
c
= 0.20 is also applicable for lightweight aggregate concrete and high strength concrete
[3].


2.4 Stress-Strain Relations for Short-Term Loading

The stress-strain diagrams for concrete are generally of the form schematically shown in Figure 1. The
descending branch of the stress-strain relations should be considered as the envelope to all possible
stress-strain relations of concrete which tends to soften as a consequence of concrete micro-cracking.
Frank Dehn

5

Figure 1. Schematic representation for the stress-strain relation for uniaxial compression

The relation between
c
and
c
for short-term uniaxial compression shown in Figure 1 is described by
Eq. (12):

( )
2
1 2
c
c c,lim
cm
k
for
f k

| |

= <
|
|
+
\
(12)

where:

1 c c
=
1 ci c
k E E =

c1
is the strain at maximum compressive stress (see Table 4)
E
c1
is the secant modulus from the origin to the peak compressive stress (see Table 4)
k is the plasticity number according to Table 4

Table 4. Modules E
ci
, E
c1
, strains
c1
,
c,lim
and plasticity number k for normal weight concrete
Concrete grade C12 C16 C20 C25 C30 C35 C40 C45 C50
E
ci
[GPa] 27.1 28.8 30.3 32.0 33.6 35.0 36.3 37.5 38.6
E
c1
[GPa]

11.1 12.2 13.3 14.9 16.5 18.2 20.0 21.6 23.2

c1
[]

-1.9 -2.0 -2.1 -2.2 -2.3 -2.3 -2.4 -2.5 -2.6

c,lim
[]

-3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.4
k 2.44 2.36 2.28 2.15 2.04 1.92 1.82 1.74 1.66
Concrete grade C55 C60 C70 C80 C90 C100 C110 C120
E
ci
[GPa] 39.7 40.7 42.6 44.4 46.0 47.5 48.9 50.3
E
c1
[GPa]

24.7 26.2 28.9 31.4 33.8 36.0 39.3 42.7

c1
[]

-2.6 -2.7 -2.7 -2.8 -2.9 -3.0 -3.0 -3.0

c,lim
[]

-3.4 -3.3 -3.2 -3.1 -3.0 -3.0 -3.0 -3.0
k 1.61 1.55 1.47 1.41 1.36 1.32 1.24 1.18

Constitutive Concrete and Durability Models in the new fib Model Code 20120

6
For the calculation of
lc1
for lightweight concrete a factor
lc
is introduced taking into account
different types of sand:

1
8
lck
lc lc
lc
f
E

+
= (13)
where:

f
lck
is the characteristic strength value for lightweight concrete in [N/mm]
E
lc
is the modulus of elasticity in [N/mm] for lightweight concrete

lc
1.1 for lightweight concrete with light sand
1.3 for lightweight concrete with natural sand

Tensile failure of concrete is always a discrete phenomenon. Thus, to describe the tensile behaviour a
stress-strain diagram should be used for the un-cracked concrete, and a stress-crack opening diagram
as shown in Figure 2 should be taken into account for the cracked section.



Figure 2. Schematic representation of the stress-strain and stress-crack opening relation for uniaxial tension

Since the post-cracking curve as shown in Figure 2 is size-dependent it is recommended to carefully
use this approach when constitutive concrete properties need to be derived.

For uncracked normal weight concrete subjected to tension a bilinear stress-strain relation as given in
Equations (14) and (15) may be used:

0 9
ct ci ct ct ctm
E for . f = (14)

0 00015
1 0 1 0 9
0 00015 0 9
ct
ct ctm ctm ct ctm
ctm ci
.
f . for . f f
. . f E

| |
= <
|

\

(15)
where:

E
ci
is the tangent modulus of elasticity in [N/mm]

ct
is the tensile strain

ct
is the tensile stress in [N/mm]
f
ctm
is the tensile strength in [N/mm]

Additional information regarding mechanical properties given in chapter 5.1 of the fib Model
Code 2010 are related to e.g. fracture energy and multiaxial states of stress.
Frank Dehn

7
3. CONSTITUTIVE MODELS IN fib MODEL CODE 2010 -
TIME-DEPANDENT DEFORMATIONS

Concrete shows both stress-dependent and stress-independent long-term deformations. The stress
independent strains or volume changes are mainly shrinkage and swelling. They are primarily caused
by the loss or absorption of water and therefore defined as the time-dependent volume change or
strains of a concrete specimen not subjected to an external stress at a constant temperature [2]. The
time-dependent strains due to constant stresses are referred to as creep. Such strains are defined as the
difference between the increase of strains with time of a specimen subjected to a constant sustained
stress and the load independent strain observed on an unloaded companion specimen [2].

In the fib Model Code 2010 new information and formulations are provided for the mostly requested
time-dependant deformations. Detailed information can be seen in [1] or [2]. In the following a general
overview for the prediction of shrinkage - including autogenous shrinkage for HSC/HPC - and creep is
shown.

3.1 Shrinkage

The model presented in fib Model Code 2010 predicts the mean time-dependent shrinkage behaviour
of a plain structural concrete member which is exposed to a dry or to a moist environment after curing.
It is valid for normal and for high strength concrete up to a mean compressive strength of 120 N/mm,
moist cured at normal temperatures not exceeding 14 days and exposed to a mean relative humidity in
the range of 40 to 100 %. For this model, the concrete compressive strength is used as a major
parameter to be taken into account when estimating concrete deformation properties. However, in
reality, shrinkage and creep strains do not depend on concrete compressive strength but rather on
parameters related to the microstructure and the concrete composition such as the water/binder-ratio,
the degree of hydration, the properties of the aggregates etc. However, the prediction models given in
fib Model Code 2010 are aiming to assist the designer for whom the concrete compressive strength
serves as an indirect indication of the microstructural properties of concrete [2].

The total shrinkage may be calculated from Equations (16a to 16c).

( ) ( ) ( ) , ,
cs s cas cds s
t t t t t = + (16a)
with
( ) ( ) ( )
0 cas cas cm as
t f t = (16b)
and
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
0
,
cds s cds cm RH ds s
t t f RH t t = (16c)

where:

( ) ,
cs s
t t total shrinkage at time t
( )
cas
t autogenous shrinkage at time t
( ) ,
cds s
t t drying shrinkage at time t
( )
0 cas cm
f notional autogenous shrinkage coefficient
( )
0 cds cm
f notional drying shrinkage coefficient
Constitutive Concrete and Durability Models in the new fib Model Code 20120

8
( )
as
t function to describe the time development of autogenous shrinkage
( )
RH
RH coefficient to take into account the effect of relative humidity on drying shrinkage
( )
ds s
t t function to describe the time development of drying shrinkage
t concrete age [days]
t
s
concrete age at the onset of drying [days]
t - t
s
duration of drying [days].

The autogenous shrinkage
cas
(t) according to Eq. (16b) may be estimated by applying Eqs. (17) and
(18).

( )
2 5
6
0
10
10
6 10
.
cm
cas cm as
cm
f
f
f


| |
=
|
+
\
(17)
and

( )
( )
1 0 2
as
t = - exp - . t (18)

where:

f
cm
mean compressive strength at the age of 28 days [N/mm]

as
coefficient which depends on the type of cement, see Table 5
t concrete age [days]

Table 5. Coefficients
i
used in Eq. (17)
Strength class of cement
as
32.5 N 800
32.5 R, 42.5 N 700
42.5 R, 52.5 N, 52.5 R 600

Detailed information about the determination of the functions and coefficients is shown in [1] and
[2].

3.2 Creep

The creep coefficient (t,t
0
) of a concrete at an age t which has been subjected to a constant
sustained load at an age t
0
could be calculated according to Eq. (19).

( ) ( ) ( )
0 0 0
, , , = +
bc dc
t t t t t t (19)




Frank Dehn

9
where:

( )
0
,
bc
t t is the basic creep coefficient, Eq. (20)
( )
0
,
dc
t t is the drying creep coefficient, Eq. (23)

In this relation, only these parameters are taken into account which are normally known to the
designer, i.e. characteristic compressive strength, dimensions of the member, mean relative humidity
to which the member is exposed, age at loading, duration of loading and type of cement. The basic
creep coefficient may be estimated from:

( ) ( ) ( )
0 0
=
bc bc cm bc
t ,t f t ,t (20)

with:

( )
( )
0 7
1 8

bc cm .
cm
.
f =
f
(21)

( ) ( )
2
0 0
0,
30
, 0.035 1
| |
| |
|
= + + |
|
|
\
\
bc
adj
t t ln t t
t
(22)

The drying creep coefficient may be estimated from:

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
0 0 0
, , =
dc dc cm dc dc
t t f RH t t t (23)

with:

( )
( )
1 4
412

dc cm .
cm
f =
f
(24)

( (( ( ) )) )
3
1
100
0 1
100

RH
RH =
h
.


(25)

( )
0 0.2
0,
1
0.1
=
+
dc
adj
t
t
(26)

The development of drying creep with time is described by:

( )
( )
( )
( )
0
0
0
0

(
(

(

t
dc
h
t t
t ,t =
+ t t
(27)




Constitutive Concrete and Durability Models in the new fib Model Code 20120

10
with:

( )
0
0,
1
3.5
2.3
=
+
adj
t
t
(28)

1.5 250 1500 = +
cm cm
h f f
h (29)

with:

0.5
35
cm
f
cm
f

| |
=
|
\
(30)

The parameters and variables in the preceding equations are defined as follows:

RH relative humidity of the ambient environment in [%]
h is the notional size of the member (2A
c
/u)
A
c
= cross section of the structural member in [mm
2
]
u = perimeter of the structural member in contact with the atmosphere in [mm]
f
cm
mean compressive strength of concrete at an age of 28 days [MPa]
t age of concrete in [days] at the moment considered
t
0
age of concrete at loading in [days]

I
coefficients i =1, 2 or 3 which depend on the mean compressive strength of concrete


4. CONSTITUTIVE MODELS IN fib MODEL CODE 2010 -
DURABILITY CHARACTERISTICS

Most deterioration mechanisms of concrete require the penetration of water, ions in aqueous solutions
or gases into the concrete. Therefore, it is generally accepted that the concrete durability is to a large
extent governed by the resistance of the concrete to the penetration of aggressive media, i.e. by the
transport characteristics. Transport characteristics are difficult to predict since they may vary by
several orders of magnitude depending on concrete composition (e.g. water/binder-ratio), type of
materials (e.g. cement, pozzolanic additives), age, curing and moisture content of the concrete.

Especially for transport of liquids and gases in hardened concrete (permeation [water, gas], diffusion
[water, gas] and capillary suction) the fib Model Code 2010 comprehensively summarizes the
fundamental equations, laws and coherences where new information about the influence of
supplementary cementitious materials and extenders on the transport mechanisms are covered. Besides
this, the fib Model Code 2010 has been extended by subjects related to following durability aspects
enabling to a more accurate service life design approach:

Carbonation progress
Ingress of chlorides
Freeze-thaw and freeze-thaw-deicing agent degradation
Alkali-aggregate reaction
Degradation by acids
Leaching progress

Exemplary, the equations for the carbonation progress (Eq. (31)) and chloride ingress (Eq. (32)) are
shown in the following.
Frank Dehn

11
4.1 Carbonation progress

Equation (31) was developed in the European research project DuraCrete and slightly revised in the
research project DARTS (Durable and Reliable Tunnel Structures).

( ) ( )
1
2
c e c NAC,0 S
x t k k R C t W t

= (31)

where:

x
c
(t) Carbonation depth at the time t in [mm]
t Time in [years]
k
e
Environmental function [-]
k
c
Execution transfer parameter [-]
C
S
CO
2
-concentration in the air [kg/m]
W(t) weather function [-]
R
NAC,0
-1
inverse effective carbonation resistance of concrete in [(mm/years)/(kg/m)]


4.2 Chloride ingress

In the European joint research projects DuraCrete and DARTS (Durable and Reliable Tunnel Structures) a
model for the prediction of time and depth dependent chloride content has been developed and
validated. The variation in chloride content of concrete exposed to chlorides is given as follows:

( ) ( )
0 0
1
2
s , x
app,C
x x
C x,t C C C erf
D t

| | ( | |

|
( |
= +
| | (
\ \
(32)
where:

( ) C x,t is the chloride content of concrete in [% by mass of cement]
x depth in [m]
C
0
initial chloride content of concrete in [% by mass of cement]
C
S,x
chloride content at a depth of x in [% by mass of cement]
x depth of the convection zone in [m]
D
app,C
apparent chloride diffusion coefficient in concrete in [m/s]

Further information about the determination and prediction of the above mentioned coefficients are
given in [1], [3] and [4]. In general, service life design (SLD) procedures for reinforced concrete
structures have been developed in the Brite-Euram Project DuraCrete. The applicability of the
probabilistic design approach in the practical design has been demonstrated at huge infrastructure
projects and is currently being disseminated through the thematic network DuraNet. Main elements
of a SLD approach are: identification of relevant operational limit states, deterioration modelling,
statistical quantification of material and environmental variables, and full- or semi-probabilistic design
calculation [4].









Constitutive Concrete and Durability Models in the new fib Model Code 20120

12
CONCLUSIONS

The new fib Model Code 2010 is a milestone in the compilation and provision of available knowledge
for the design of structural concrete. In the last decade, the wider use of so-called modern types of
concrete such as HSC/HPC and SCC came up. Therefore, it was necessary to evaluate the
applicability of existing constitutive material models - and if requested - to provide unified relations
which cover normal strength concretes and the before-mentioned concrete types. This was realized by
an extensive work of fib Task Group 8.7 and has led to a comprehensive summary of code-type
relations represented in Chapter 5.1 of the new fib Model Code 2010. Although, new technologies like
UHPC or supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) are not fully treated in the fib Model
Code 2010 the document gives a fundamental pre-normative base for further developments and
extensions which could be then used and adopted by technical and normative bodies and institutions in
the future.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author would like to sincerely acknowledge the work of fib Task Group 8.7 Code-type Models
for Concrete Behaviour (TG convenor: H.S. Mller) for the tremendous work and effort to prepare
Chapter 5.1 of the fib Model Code 2010 and the respective background documents which are presently
under preparation and to be published in 2013.


REFERENCES

[1] International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib): Model Code 2010 (Final Version), fib
Bulletins 65 & 66, Lausanne 2012
[2] International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib): Code-type models for Concrete Behaviour -
Background of the Constitutive Relations and Material Models in Model Code 2010, fib Bulletin
(under preparation), Lausanne 2012
[3] International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib): Constitutive modelling of high strength /
high performance concrete (HSC/HPC), fib Bulletin 42, Lausanne 2008
[4] International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib): Model Code for Service Life Design
(SLD), fib Bulletin 34, Lausanne 2006