On damping created by heterogeneous yielding in the numerical analysis of nonlinear reinforced concrete frame elements

TL;DR

This paper explores how heterogeneity in material properties can generate damping effects in nonlinear reinforced concrete frames, offering a physically-based alternative to traditional damping models like Rayleigh damping.

Contribution

It introduces a stochastic model to represent material heterogeneity and demonstrates its role in producing damping-like behavior in nonlinear structural analysis.

Findings

Heterogeneity induces damping patterns in concrete cyclic response.

Material variability can replicate damping effects without traditional models.

The stochastic approach provides a physically grounded damping mechanism.

Abstract

In the dynamic analysis of structural engineering systems, it is common practice to introduce damping models to reproduce experimentally observed features. These models, for instance Rayleigh damping, account for the damping sources in the system altogether and often lack physical basis. We report on an alternative path for reproducing damping coming from material nonlinear response through the consideration of the heterogeneous character of material mechanical properties. The parameterization of that heterogeneity is performed through a stochastic model. It is shown that such a variability creates the patterns in the concrete cyclic response that are classically regarded as source of damping.