CONTROLLING THE FRACTURE OF CONCRETE - IM PROVEMENTS OF THE MATERIAL,PROGRESS IN MODELING, INDUSTRIAL EXAMPLES

The physical mechanisms characterizing the breaking of concrete, a bri ttle material in extension which is heterogeneous, porous and out of e quilibrium, are presented. Various modelling paths are presented and d iscussed to describe material cracking and to calculate the structures . An industrial example in the civil nuclear field illustrates the opt imization of concrete and the dimensioning method making it possible t o ensure the ductility of the structure.