Investigation of a continuum damage model as an indicator for the prediction of spalling in fire exposed concrete

Continuum damage theory has been widely adopted to model fracturing of concrete under mechanical loading and has been applied in capturing degradation of concrete under elevated temperatures. Here, the application of damage theory to prediction of concrete spalling in fire is investigated in the context of a fully coupled hygro-thermo-mechanical formulation. The ability of the model to capture spalling is assessed as is its sensitivity to choice of parametric relationships. The model, calibrated against experimental results, is shown to be a useful indicator for spalling. However, selection of model parameters must be carefully considered as a whole, not in isolation.