Realistic simulation of reinforced concrete structural systems with combine of simplified and rigorous component model

This study presents the efficiency of simulating structural systems using a method that combines a simplified component model (SCM) and rigorous component model (RCM). To achieve a realistic simulation of structural systems, a numerical model must be adequately capturing the detailed behaviors of real systems at various scales. However, capturing all details represented within an entire structural system by very fine meshes is practically impossible due to technological limitations on computational engineering. Therefore, this research develops an approach to simulate large-scale structural systems that combines a simplified global model with multiple detailed component models adjusted to various scales. Each correlated multi-scale simulation model is linked to others using a multi-level hierarchical modeling simulation method. Simulations are performed using nonlinear finite element analysis. The proposed method is applied in an analysis of a simple reinforced concrete structure and the Reuipu Elementary School (an existing structure), with analysis results then compared to actual onsite observations. The proposed method obtained results very close to onsite observations, indicating the efficiency of the proposed model in simulating structural system behavior.