Organisers: Prof. S. Anders, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Germany ; Prof. L. Lohaus, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany & Prof. J. Schröder, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany

Emails: s.anders@uni-wuppertal.de ; lohaus@baustoff.uni-hannover.de ; j.schroeder@uni-due.de

Summary: Modern high-performance concretes allow even lighter, more filigree and resource-efficient structures which, however, are more susceptible to vibrations due to their reduced dead weight. Structures and components – such as long-span bridges for high-speed trains, wind-power plants and machine foundations – are also typically subjected to very large variable loads and very high numbers of load cycles. The fatigue behavior of high-performance concrete is decisive for the successful design and the realization of such applications.

The aim of this special session is to bring together experts in material degradation of high-performance concrete, with a focus on capturing, understanding, describing, modelling and predicting the damage processes using the newest experimental and numerical methods. Since the damage processes occur on a very small scale, they cannot be entirely observed during the load tests. The recording of suitable damage indicators during experiments make the time-consuming fatigue tests even more demanding. Therefore, close cooperation between material science, mechanics and numerical modelling is required. The Experimental-Virtual-Lab achieves the interconnection between experiment and computation. Topics of interest include model-based description of the heterogeneous concrete microstructure (with and without fibres), as well as damage and crack development at different scale levels and for different moisture conditions, from both a material-science and a numerical-modelling point of view.