Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1) (2024) 1-18

Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences

https://www.sciendo.com

Stress analysis of assembled concrete structures with application of finite element

modeling

Limei Cao1,†, Xiao Song1

1. Zhengzhou Technology and Business University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.

Submission Info

Communicated by Z. Sabir
Received February 20, 2023
Accepted June 21, 2023
Available online December 11, 2023

Abstract

In the paper, the finite element model of the assembled concrete structure is constructed based on the finite element
method combined with ABAQUS software, including the specific definition of the model material, the boundary
condition and contact setting, the analysis step and loading setting, and the validity of the constructed finite element model
is verified. In order to deeply explore the stress changes of the assembled concrete structure, four aspects were analyzed,
namely, concrete strength grade, load-mid-span displacement curve, stress of tensile and compressive reinforcement, and
stress changes of frame combination beams respectively. The results showed that the larger the concrete strength grade,
the relative stiffness ratio at the peak point gradually decreased from 0.44 to 0.27, and the specimen of concrete structure
with higher steel content reached the maximum load at the mid-span displacement of 12.5 mm. The reinforcement at the
end of the steel frame reaches the yield stress only when the lateral displacement is 25.8 mm, while the RC frame reaches
the yield stress when the lateral displacement is 16.1 mm. When the load of the assembled concrete structural frame
combination beams does not exceed 0.5 times the ultimate load, the stress change is elastic, which can ensure the stability
of the assembled concrete structural building. Using the finite element model to model the assembled concrete structure
numerically analyzes its stress change, which can better grasp the development of its structural stress during the actual
casting process so as to ensure the safety of the building structure.

Keywords: Finite element modeling; Yield stress; Load-mid-span curve; Assembled concrete.
AMS 2010 codes: 00A71

†Corresponding author.
Email address: 386110003@qq.com ISSN 2444-8656
https://doi.org/10.2478/amns.2023.2.01449
© 2023 Limei Cao and Xiao Song, published by Sciendo.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution alone 4.0 License.
2 Limei Cao and Xiao Song. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1) (2024) 1-18

1 Introduction

Under the background of construction industrialization, assembly structure has been vigorously
supported and widely used by the state, and assembly concrete structure, as the main form of assembly
building, has the advantages of fast construction speed, high labor efficiency, and clear node force
[1]. Literature [2] proposed FRP-constrained concrete damage surface theory, combined with the
incremental process of actively constrained concrete in the widely searched analytically oriented
model, to establish a new analytically oriented model into the simulation of real experiments and
finite element simulation and the results of the study show that the model shows good analytical
ability. Literature [3] through multiple comparative experiments, collect data for reference,
comparison and analysis to determine the influence of RCA graduation, RCA admixture, fly ash
admixture and water/cement ratio (w/c) on RCA, the results of the study show that the degree of
influence on the RAC in the order of w/c > RCA content > RCA gradation > fly ash admixture.
Literature [4] proposes a new type of ultra-thin white top (UTW) overlay structure for airport concrete
pavements based on UTW Liliana. Modeling, simulation and analysis are carried out, and the results
show that the size and thickness of the UTW overlay should be strictly controlled to reduce the tensile
stress on the surface of the overlay and the life of the pavement structure. Literature [5] analyzed
previous research reports on ECCDS infiltration problems, based on which the coupled seepage-stress
interactions were simulated and analyzed through ABAQUS software using UIL, and the analysis
results provided the basic parameters of infiltration structure thickness and material properties for
RCCDS construction. Literature [6] investigated the effect of limestone and sandstone on the strength
and stress of concrete, and through experimental tests and comparative analysis, the results showed
that the concrete with limestone powder excelled in all aspects of performance. Literature [7]
analyzed the effect of exposing a five-story RC frame under different locations of column positions
by analyzing the design methodology - using steady-state linear analysis, and the results showed that
the in-column collapse phenomenon occurs at 500-600 degrees Celsius for a single member.
Literature [8] has analyzed the collected hardening or softening speech line parameters, sensitivity
and reliability through cube cell experiments, and the results show that the peak strength strain is
correlated with AH, BH CH, and the softening ductility is correlated with AS. In response to these
results, an AS correction optimization model was developed, and simulation results were shown to
demonstrate the feasibility of the model. Literature [9] investigated the shear strength and
deformation resistance after cracking through simulation experiments conducted on fifty-degree
steel-reinforced T-beams. The experimental results show that fibers are effective in improving the
shear strength and deformation resistance of UHPERC after cracking. It also bridges the cracks and
contributes to the redistribution of concrete stress and the recovery of homogenization. Literature [10]
tested a variety of exposure conditions by 5% concentration of sulfuric acid seems concrete
deterioration, auxiliary tests and thermogravimetric analysis. The results of the analysis showed that
the CFRP will favorite acid penetration into the concrete layer, but with time of attachment, the
effectiveness of the CFRP decreases.

This paper first explains finite element theory, including static analysis and dynamic analysis.
Secondly, the finite element theory is used as the basis of the joint finite element analysis software to
define the model materials of assembled concrete, set the boundary conditions of the model and the
corresponding analysis process, and verify the validity of the constructed finite element model to
ensure that it can correctly analyze the stress changes of the assembled concrete structure. Finally, the
effects of lateral stiffness of different concrete strength grades on the stress changes were analyzed in
the finite element model, and the effects of steel content and steel strength on the load-mid-span
displacement of the assembled concrete structure were verified.
 Stress analysis of assembled concrete structures with application of finite element modeling 3

2 Finite element theory and modeling

The construction industry is an important part of economic development, and the healthy
development of the construction industry is conducive to improving the overall economic level and
the living environment of the people. At present, the traditional production mode of the construction
industry, which is labor-intensive, high energy consumption, high pollution, low efficiency, and
roughness, can no longer meet the requirements of sustainable development of today’s society, and
the assembled concrete structure building has received more and more attention due to its unique
advantages. This chapter focuses on the finite element theory and the construction of relevant models
necessary for stress analysis of assembled concrete structures, providing a theoretical foundation for
exploring the stress influencing factors of assembled concrete structures and a theoretical basis for
the application and development of this system.

2.1 Theory of Finite Element Method

2.1.1 Finite element method static analysis

The finite element method for simulation is based on the principle of dividing a continuous physical
structure into units of different sizes, types, and regions, which are analyzed by numerical
computation of these discrete units for simulation. Using appropriate interpolation functions in each
cell is done according to the simulation and boundary conditions specified by the discipline when
applied to simulations in different disciplines.

The finite element method discretizes a continuous deformable body into a structure consisting of a
finite number of units, which are hinged only by nodes, i.e., the nodes do not transmit moments.
Using the variational principle or other methods, the connection between node displacements and
node loads is established through a system of algebraic equations, and these equations are solved to
obtain the unknown node displacements and then the other physical quantities in each cell. The
process of solving finite elements can be broken down into six steps:

1) Discretization of the continuum: the continuum is discretized into a number of units,

connected by the nodes between the units, the new set of units instead of the original
continuous deformation of the body for deformation analysis. After solving the node
parameters of each unit, the physical quantities of each unit can be obtained from the solution
of the entire continuum.

2) Displacement mode selection, after the continuum discretization, to analyze the characteristics
of typical units. In order to be able to use the nodal displacement to represent the displacement,
strain and stress of the unit, it is necessary to make assumptions about the displacement
distribution in the unit. That is, shape functions are assumed to approximate the real
displacements. The matrix form of this is:

u = Na e (1)

Where u is the displacement vector at any point in the cell, N is the shape function matrix, and
a e is the cell node displacement vector.

Determine the relationship between the strain and the displacement of the unit node according to the
geometric equation:
4 Limei Cao and Xiao Song. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1) (2024) 1-18

 = Ba e (2)

where  is the strain vector and B is the geometric matrix.

The physical equations are utilized to give the stress state at any point within the cell:

 = DBa e (3)

Where  is the stress column matrix at any point within the unit, and D is the eigenstructure
matrix associated with the unit material.

3) Determine the unit stiffness equation as:

F e = Ka e (4)

where K is the cell stiffness matrix. K can be expressed as:

K =  BT DB (5)

4) Calculate the equivalent nodal force.

5) Collect the unit stiffness matrix to form the overall stiffness matrix, establish a large linear or
nonlinear system of equations linking the overall node displacement and node load according
to the continuum equilibrium conditions, and solve this system of equations to obtain the node
displacement value:

F = Ku (6)

Where K is the overall stiffness matrix, u is the node displacement vector of the whole continuum,
and F is the node load vector.

6) Solve for unknown node displacements and calculate node forces.

2.1.2 Finite element method dynamics analysis

The most widely used displacement-based finite element method for solving real-world problems in
dynamics splits the continuum by discrete cells. The fundamental unknown quantity at these nodes is
the displacement, and a cell displacement function is assumed to describe the displacements in each
cell, which essentially assumes the modes of the cells. The complete structure of the vibration
equilibrium equations is solved on this basis, thus transforming the dynamics of a continuous structure
into a vibration problem for a multi-degree-of-freedom system.

The basic process of finite element dynamic analysis is to first discretize the engineering structure
and select the appropriate unit, on which the displacement function analysis unit is selected to
determine its stiffness, mass, damping, and load matrix. Then the vibration equilibrium equations of
the system are determined and finally, the equations are solved using finite element numerical
methods.

The solution equations of the system for the dynamics problem are as follows:
 Stress analysis of assembled concrete structures with application of finite element modeling 5

Md(t ) + Cd(t ) + Kd(t ) = F(t ) (7)

Where d(t ) and d(t ) are the nodal acceleration vectors and nodal velocity vectors of the system,
respectively, and M , C , K , and F (t ) are the mass matrix, damping matrix, stiffness matrix, and
nodal load vectors of the system, respectively. Neglecting the damping and right end terms, the
equations of motion simplify to:

Md(t ) + Kd(t ) = 0 (8)

The above equation is the free vibration equation of the system from which the intrinsic frequency
and intrinsic mode of vibration of the linear elastic system can be solved. For equation (8) without
considering the damping of the system, the solution of the equation is assumed to be of the following
form:

a =  sin  ( t − t0 ) (9)

 is a vector of order n ,  is the frequency of vibration of vector  , t is a time variable, and

t 0 is a time constant determined by the initial conditions. A generalized eigenvalue problem is
obtained by substituting Eq. (9) into Eq. (8), i.e:

K −  2M = 0 (10)

Determining  and  after determining the solutions to the equations leads to n eigen solutions
(12 , 1 )(22 ,2 ) , (n2 ,n ) where the eigenvalues 1 , 2 n represent the n intrinsic
frequencies of the system with:

0  1  2   n (11)

Eigenvector 1 , 2 , , n represents the n formations of the system.

2.2 Finite element modeling

2.2.1 Definition of model materials

ABAQUS is a powerful finite element software, which can solve many nonlinear problems, and the
software has a rich library of preset units, which can be adapted to the analysis of different shapes
and requirements. ABAQUS can realize good human-computer interaction through the CAE module,
which can be operated intuitively through the windowing, and the (interaction) in ABAQUS/CAE
module in ABAQUS/CAE is very suitable for analyzing the stress analysis of the assembled concrete
structure in this paper. There are three kinds of materials in the model, which are concrete material,
reinforcing steel material and prestressing steel material, and the material properties need to be
defined in ABAQUS software.

1) Definition of concrete material

In this paper, the concrete unit adopts the C3D9R unit, which is a nine-node hexahedral unit, very
suitable for applying to the concrete material model under the three-axis coordinate system, and it has
a good simulation effect on the mechanical analysis task of the concrete structure. In this paper, the
6 Limei Cao and Xiao Song. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1) (2024) 1-18

concrete plastic damage model provided in the software is used, and the model adopts the formula
provided in the concrete structure design specification to determine the uniaxial stress-strain
relationship of concrete and the uniaxial stress-strain formula of concrete in the specification shown
below:

Concrete uniaxial tension state stress-strain equation:

 = (1 − dt ) Ec (12)

dt = 1 − t 1.2 − 0.2 x 5  , x  1 (13)

t
dt = 1 − , x 1 (14)
 t ( x − 1)1.7 + x

 f
x= , t = t , r (15)
t,x Ec t ,r

Where f t , r is the representative value of uniaxial tensile strength of concrete, which is taken as the
standard value according to the needs of analysis in this paper ftk , t is the descending section
parameter of uniaxial tensile stress-strain curve of concrete.  t , r for the representative value of
uniaxial tensile strength of the corresponding peak tensile strain of concrete, dt for the uniaxial
tensile damage evolution parameters of concrete.

Concrete uniaxial compression state stress-strain equation:

 = (1 − dc ) Ec (16)

c n
dc = 1 − , x 1 (17)
n −1 + xn

c
dc = 1 − , x 1 (18)
 c ( x − 1) 2 + x

 f Ec cr
x= , c = c , r , n = (19)
 c,r Ec c ,r Ec cr − f cr

Where f c ,r is the representative value of uniaxial compressive strength of concrete,  c is the

descending section parameter of the uniaxial compressive stress-strain curve of concrete,  c , r is the
peak compressive strain of concrete corresponding to the representative value of uniaxial compressive
strength, and d c is the evolution parameter of uniaxial compressive damage of concrete.

2) Definition of reinforcement material

In this paper, the reinforcing bar unit adopts the T2D3 unit, which is a two-node three-dimensional
truss unit with a good simulation effect for the mechanical analysis task of the reinforcing bar material.
In this paper, it is assumed that only its elastic phase is utilized for the rebar material in the model
 Stress analysis of assembled concrete structures with application of finite element modeling 7

during the simulation process, so the rebar principal structure is simplified, and an ideal elastic-plastic
model is used without considering the specifics of the reinforcement and stiffness degradation phases
of the rebar.

The grade of rebar in the model is HRB340 grade, the design value of yield strength of rebar f y is
taken as 300 MPa, the modulus of elasticity of rebar Es = 2.0 *105 Mpa and Poisson’s ratio is taken
as 0.25, therefore,  y is taken as 0.0014.

3) Prestressing tendon model and material definition

In this paper, the prestressing tendons are modeled with T2D3 cells, and in ABAQUS, the bifold
principal relationship is usually used for non-energy-consuming prestressing tendons. In this paper,
it is assumed that the prestressing reinforcement is always in the linear elastic range during the
simulation.

According to the specification for medium-strength prestressing steel wires, the standard values of
ultimate strength f ptk = 1275Mpa , modulus of elasticity Es = 2.01*105 Mpa , and Poisson’s ratio
taken as 0.25 were used for the prestressing reinforcement in the finite element simulation.

In order to simplify the simulation process, the prestressing steel reinforcement is directly bound to
the very thin rigid body unit by the binding function in the interaction module in ABAQUS. In the
initial state, the pre-tension stresses of the prestressing steel bars, which are reduced to the form of
compressive forces through the rigid body unit, are applied to the model. Therefore, during the
simulation, the stress changes on the prestressing reinforcement are all relative values and the absolute
value of the initial stress is set to 754.4 MPa.

2.2.2 Boundary conditions and contact settings

The boundary conditions of the nodes of the assembled concrete structure are shown in Fig. 1. In the
initial analysis step, the bottom of the columns of the frame node is set up as an articulated mode with
boundary conditions that completely fix the displacements in X , Y , Z three directions, i.e.,
U x = U y = U z = 0 , and the tops of the columns impose constraints of torsion in the X , Z direction
and the  y direction, i.e., U x =  y =  z = 0 . The beam ends are controlled for out-of-plane
displacements of the nodes with rotation in the  y , z direction, i.e., U x =  y =  z = 0 .
8 Limei Cao and Xiao Song. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1) (2024) 1-18

Axial
pressure U x =  y = z = 0

Load

U x =  y = z

Y
Z
X

Ux = U y = Uz = 0

Figure 1. Boundary conditions of HSCJ

Analysis step 1 was set up for the assembly and preparation of the frame nodes, including the
tensioning of the prestressing force, the application of the bolt preload, and the application of the
axial force at the top of the columns. The prestressing tendons were selected using the cooling method,
and a predefined field was created, which was set up and transferred to the subsequent analysis step.

In the analysis, step 2, low perimeter repeated loads were applied to the frame nodes, with the side
nodes applied at one side of the beam and the center nodes applied at both sides of the beam with
equal amplitude and opposite direction. The loading was displacement controlled and cycled only
once at each level of displacement, which was determined as the ratio of the minimum value of the
distance from the loading point to the arc at the beam end.

The simulation between the frame columns and the double T-shaped steel sleeves, steel mat and
concrete members was performed using binding, with the reinforcement cage as an integral part built
into the whole model, and the rest of the contacts were simulated using the interface. The contact
between the bolts at the nodes and the steel sleeves at the beam ends and the concrete beams are
defined as “hard contact”, the normal behavior between the bull legs, the frame beams and the double
T-shape steel sleeves are defined as “hard contact”, while the tangential behavior is defined using the
Coulomb friction model as “penalized” with a friction coefficient of 0.5.

The prestressing strand is treated by setting reference points on the outside of the steel mat at each
anchorage point so that it is coupled with the surface of the plate and then establishing MPC
constraints between the two endpoints of the prestressing tendon unit and the reference points on the
two steel plates so that the prestressing tendon and the steel plate have the same curvature and
displacement in the deformation process. Meanwhile, in order to improve calculation accuracy, the
steel mat plate is cross-segmented with each prestressing tendon contact point as the center.
 Stress analysis of assembled concrete structures with application of finite element modeling 9

2.2.3 Analysis step and loading settings

The load loading is based on the proposed static experiment proposed in the “Building Seismic
Testing Procedures” (JGJ/T 101-2015). Its cyclic reciprocating load is applied to the specimen, so
that the loading end is subjected to 2 cyclic reciprocating loadings and unloading in opposite
directions, which can more closely simulate the seismic performance of the frame nodes under
seismic action. The specific loading regime of the model is shown in Fig. 2. In this paper, the beam
end loading is selected, and the first analysis step applies a constant axial force of 916.9 kN at the top
center of the column, and the second analysis step is displacement loading, which adopts the
antisymmetric loading mode, and the applied displacements are 10 mm and 20 mm respectively for
one cycle, and then 10 mm is added to each step and cycled three times.

40
30
20
Displacement/mm

10
0 Time
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
-10
-20
-30
-40

Figure 2. Schematic diagram of joint loading system

2.2.4 Validation of model validity

In order to verify the correctness of the finite element model and the analysis method, numerical
simulation study by finite element software and comparative analysis with the test data of the
completed working conditions are carried out to verify the correctness of the finite element model of
the cover beam as well as the reasonableness of the intrinsic model of the reinforcement and concrete.
In this paper, two sets of test result data, Case-14 and Case-16, with the largest test error, are selected
for comparison with the finite element numerical simulation results. The curves of vertical load and
vertical displacement are analyzed, and the comparison between the finite element numerical
simulation result data and the test result data is shown in Figure 3. Figures 3(a) and 3(b) show the
numerical simulation results for Case-14, Case-16, and finite element simulations, respectively.

As can be seen from the figure, using the difference in vertical displacement under the same load as
a basis for judgment, in general, the finite element numerical simulation results curve and the test
results curve trend roughly coincides with the two curves in the vertical displacement value of the
maximum error in the value of 25.52% or so, the error is mainly due to the design of the test
components and the construction of a certain degree of accidental error is unavoidable. This also
verifies that the finite element model of the assembled concrete structure constructed using ABAQUS
software can be used to analyze the stress analysis of the assembled concrete structure.
10 Limei Cao and Xiao Song. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1) (2024) 1-18

(a) Case-14 and the finite-element numerical (b) Case-16 and the finite-element numerical
simulations simulations

Figure 3. Comparison of the test and the FEM simulation results

3 Analysis of numerical simulation results for finite element modeling

The main prefabricated components of the assembled structure can be standardized in the factory, and
they are spliced together at the construction site through safe and reliable connections. The nodes are
the intersection points of beams and columns in the frame structure, which carry and transmit the
internal forces of beams and columns. The force performance of the nodes of the assembled frame
and the reliability of the connection of prefabricated components directly affect the overall force
performance of the assembled frame structure, and it is necessary to study them. In this chapter, based
on the finite element model of the assembled concrete structure constructed in the previous section,
numerical simulation analysis is carried out to explore the stress distribution of the assembled
concrete structure and to fully ensure the force performance of the assembled frame.

3.1 Lateral stiffness for different concrete strength classes

This section mainly focuses on the specific effects of vertical deformation of seismic isolation bearing
of concrete structure on lateral stiffness of superstructure under different concrete strength levels of
the assembled concrete structure. Numerical simulations and analyses are carried out from four
aspects. Namely, corner comparison, rigid body rotation displacement, leftmost bearing, and relative
stiffness of the assembled concrete structure, respectively, and Fig. 4 shows the effect of lateral
stiffness under different concrete strength classes.

Fig. 4(a) shows the comparison of wall limb corners of assembled concrete structures under different
concrete strength classes. 1 is the corner of the left wall limb, calculated by taking the difference
in height of the two isolation bearings under the left wall limb, and  2 is the corner of the right wall
limb, calculated by taking the difference in height of the two isolation bearings under the right wall
limb.  is the overall corner of the superstructure, calculated by taking the difference in heights of
the isolation bearings at both ends. The left limb corner 1 is always larger than the right limb corner
 2 , because the tensile stiffness of seismic isolation bearing is much smaller than the compressive
stiffness of seismic isolation bearing, and when the seismic isolation bearing is tensile, its vertical
deformation will be significantly increased, which results in the rotation of the left limb is larger than
the rotation of the right limb. The overall angle of the superstructure  is lower than the angle of
 Stress analysis of assembled concrete structures with application of finite element modeling 11

the left wall limb 1 and the right wall limb  2 , and the overall rotation of the superstructure is
smaller than the rotation of the left and right wall limbs. As the concrete strength increases, the overall
turning angle of the superstructure  increases from 0.0514° to 0.0756°, which is due to the fact
that by increasing the concrete strength level, the superstructure tends to be more rigid, which results
in its being more prone to rigid body rotation.

Fig. 4(b) shows the ratio of horizontal displacement generated by the rotation of the rigid body of the
superstructure caused by the vertical deformation of the seismic isolation bearing to the total
horizontal displacement of the superstructure for the assembled concrete structure at different
concrete strength grades, where the rotation displacement is calculated according to the overall
turning angle  of the superstructure. As the concrete strength grade increases, the ratio of initial
rotation displacement is 16.78%, 17.49%, 18.57%, 19.36%, 20.32%, 20.67%, 21.53%, 21.96%,
which shows that as the concrete strength increases, the ratio of initial rotation displacement also
increases. This is because by increasing the concrete strength grade, the superstructure tends to be
more rigid, which leads to an increase in the degree of rigid body rotation, so the percentage of its
rotation displacement gradually increases.

Fig. 4(c) shows the face pressure diagrams of the leftmost seismic isolation bearing of the assembled
concrete structure under the conditions of different concrete strength grades. From the figure, it can
be seen that the maximum tensile stress of the leftmost seismic isolation bearing did not exceed 1
MPa when the concrete strength was C20, while when the concrete strength grade was C30-C90, the
overall stiffness of the superstructure was larger and tended to be more rigid, which made it more
prone to rigid-body rotation. The leftmost bearing is subjected to the largest degree of tension,
resulting in its bearing tensile stress exceeding 1Mpa, and the greater the concrete strength, the
smaller the displacement angle of the superstructure when it reaches the 1MPa point.

Fig. 4(d) shows the relative stiffness ratio of the yield point and peak point of the assembled concrete
structure under different concrete strength level conditions. The relative stiffness ratio is the ratio of
the isolation model stiffness to the corresponding seismic model stiffness. When the concrete strength
grade gradually increases, the yield point relative stiffness ratio decreases from 0.69 to 0.38, and the
peak point relative stiffness ratio decreases from 0.44 to 0.27. It can be seen that by increasing the
concrete strength grade, the superstructure tends to be more rigid, the degree of rigid-body rotation
will increase, the relative stiffness ratio will be weakened by increasing the concrete strength grade,
and the difference in stiffness with the corresponding earthquake-resistant model will increase as the
difference in stiffness increases. The greater the difference in stiffness.

(a) Rotation comparison (b)Rigid body rotation displacement

12 Limei Cao and Xiao Song. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1) (2024) 1-18

(c) Leftmost bearing surface (d) Relative stiffness ratio

Figure 4. The lateral stiffness of different concrete strength grades

3.2 Load-mid-span displacement curve analysis

To better compare the loads of different assembled concrete structures, this paper analyzes the two
aspects of steel content and steel strength of the structure. The assembled concrete structures with
different steel content were chosen to be 4.5% as the base, and each time it was raised by 0.5%, and
the structure with 0 steel content was also chosen as the control, which resulted in the load-mid-span
displacement curves of the assembled concrete structures with different steel content as shown in Fig.
5.

It can be obtained from the figure that, except for the assembled concrete structure with 0 steel content,
the specimens of other assembled concrete structures with steel sections arranged in the early loading
period to the mid-span displacement of 4mm, although the steel content of each specimen is not the
same, the curves of the specimens basically overlap, which indicates that the elasticity stage of each
specimen and the load borne by it are not much different. At the stage of 4~9mm mid-span
displacement, the peak points of the curves are different, and the position of the peak point is
positively correlated with the steel content rate, and the higher the steel content rate, the higher the
peak point is. As the stiffness of different sizes of steel profiles is not the same, when the mid-span
displacement gradually exceeds 10mm, the difference in loading is more obvious; the stiffness of
specimen with 6.0% steel content degrades the slowest, followed by assembled concrete structural
specimen with 5.5%, 5.0% and 4.5% steel content, and it is obviously seen that assembled concrete
structural specimen without steel profiles degrades the fastest, and the analysis can be seen that the
bigger the steel content is, the more ductile the beam is. It can be analyzed that the higher the steel
content, the higher the ductility of the beams, and the superiority of the bending capacity of the
assembled concrete structure with steel sections over that without steel sections. The four specimens
with steel sections reached the maximum load at a mid-span displacement of 12.5 mm, while the
assembled concrete structure specimens without steel sections reached the maximum load at a mid-
span displacement of 7.5 mm until the maximum load was reached. After reaching the yield load, the
load-mid-span displacement curves of all four concrete beams with profiles leveled off, while the
specimens of the assembled concrete structure without profiles had a small drop in capacity after
reaching the yield load and then leveled off.
 Stress analysis of assembled concrete structures with application of finite element modeling 13

Figure 5. Load-median displacement curve analysis

In practical engineering, different steel strengths also affect the bending capacity of assembled
concrete structures, and this section further analyzes the effects of different steel strengths under the
same steel content. Three different strengths of steel Q345, Q355 and Q365 are selected for numerical
simulation analysis, and the results of the load-mid-span displacement curves of assembled concrete
structures with different steel strengths are shown in Fig. 6.

From the figure, it can be seen that there is a significant difference in the beam’s bending capacity
due to the different strengths of the steel sections. The elastic stress stage is where the curves are
basically coincident when the mid-span displacement is from the beginning to the stage of 2.5 mm.
When the mid-span displacement exceeds 2.5mm, the difference between the load and mid-span
displacement curves is gradually revealed, the load rises more slowly, and the deformation of the
specimen is obviously increased, and then it can be seen that the flexural capacity of the assembled
concrete structure specimen with section steel Q365 is stronger than that of the specimen with section
steel Q345 and section steel Q255. With the increase in loading displacement, the speed of stiffness
degradation of each specimen is not the same. Q355 specimen’s stiffness degradation is faster, and
then as the load continues to increase, all three specimens reach the inflection point. After the stage,
the load basically does not grow upwards, and there is a phenomenon of falling back. As the beam
loses its load-bearing function, the deflection increases rapidly. As per the analysis results, the
bending capacity of the beam increases with the strength of the steel section.

Figure 6. Load-median displacement curve analysis

14 Limei Cao and Xiao Song. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1) (2024) 1-18

3.3 Stresses in compressive and tensile reinforcement in frame beams

When frame beams are constructed using assembled concrete structures, the stresses of the tensile
and compressive reinforcement in the structure will have an impact on the load-carrying capacity of
the frame beams, and thus, this section analyzes the compressive and tensile reinforcement stresses
in the assembled concrete frame beams. Three different frame beam forms, namely, RC frame beam
end, steel frame beam end, and steel frame stud end, are selected for the comparison of tensile
reinforcement stresses and the variation curves of tensile reinforcement stresses with side shift at the
lower left end of the beams are given in Fig. 7.

Comparing the stress curves of the tensile reinforcement in the lower left part of the frame beams of
the two assembled concrete structures, the tensile reinforcement in the root of the left end of the RC
frame beam reaches the yield stress at the lateral shift of 16.1 mm, while the tensile reinforcement in
the root of the left end of the steel frame beam does not reach the yield throughout the lateral shift,
but the reinforcement at the end of the steel frame reaches the yield stress at the lateral shift of 25.8
mm. This indicates that the steel bones play a great role in bending at the end of the frame beams,
which makes the participation of the steel bars at the left end of the frame beams in tension not
obvious and makes the plastic hinge move outward to the cross-section at the end of the steel bones.

Figure 7. Stress and lateral shift of frame beam- Beam right end

Fig. 8 shows the curve giving the variation of stress in the compression reinforcement at the lower
right end of the beam with a side shift. The yield displacement of the lower compression
reinforcement at the right end of the steel frame beam is 50.1mm. When the side shift continues to
increase, the stress of the reinforcement at this place first maintains a period of yield value, and then
the stress value starts to decrease slowly. This is consistent with the corresponding upper tensile
reinforcement stress change rule. The main reason is still due to the plastic hinges in the same three
positions with the tensile reinforcement in the frame beam of the space of the steel frame so that the
compression reinforcement stress near the end of the beam decreases, and the compression
reinforcing bar at the end of the steel frame is maintained in the yield value. The yield displacement
of the compression reinforcing bar at the right bottom end of the frame beam of the RC frame is 19.6
mm, and the stress of the frame beam at this time in - 400 MPa began to decay continuously. 400
MPa began to decay continuously, but the overall decline was small, and finally, the stress was
reduced to about 396 MPa after a lateral displacement of 100 mm. Combined with the previous
analysis of the stress of the tensile steel bar, it is clear that the application of steel bones in the
assembly concrete structure for frame beam construction can enhance the stress of the structure,
improve its mechanical properties, and ensure the stability of the assembly concrete building structure.
 Stress analysis of assembled concrete structures with application of finite element modeling 15

Figure 8. Stress and lateral shift of frame beam- Beam left end

3.4 Stress variation analysis of frame combination beams

To further analyze the stress change of the assembled concrete structure frame combination beam, we
will use a finite element model to analyze its steel frame stress distribution. Since the maximum stress
of the steel beam is located in the mid-span section, in order to better understand the whole process
of steel beam stressing, the mid-span is taken as the control section, and the positive stress of its
section is extracted to observe the change rule of the steel beam cross-section stress with the load,
and the distribution of the steel beam cross-section stress in the mid-span section is shown in Fig. 9,
where P is the ultimate load.

From the result of the stress distribution of the steel beam cross-section in the span, the stress change
of the steel beam of the assembled concrete structure can be divided into three stages:

1) When load P  0.5P , this stage is the elastic working stage of the steel beam, the stress along
the beam height is linearly distributed, the tensile stress and compressive stress of the steel
beam at this stage are basically linearly increasing with the load.

2) When load 0.5P  P  0.7P , this stage is the elastic-plastic working stage of the steel beam;
the upper flange of the steel beam in the middle of the span is still in the elastic working state
without yielding, and the lower flange has gradually reached its yield stress with the increase
of load, and the elastic tensile state is changed into the plastic tensile state.

3) When load 0.7P  P  0.9P , this stage is the destruction stage of the steel beam. In this stage,
the upper flange of the steel beam is compressed to be in elastic work, and the lower flange
gradually reaches its limit state after yielding in tension.
16 Limei Cao and Xiao Song. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1) (2024) 1-18

Figure 9. Cross-section stress distribution of steel beam span

In order to further analyze the deflection variation of the assembled concrete structure for assembled
beam splicing, Fig. 10 shows the distribution of the deflection of the assembled beam along the
longitudinal direction of the beam as a function of the load variation, where P is the ultimate load.

As can be seen from the figure, with the increase of load, the deflection of the assembled concrete
structure’s combined beam is symmetrically distributed and parabolic. When load P  0.5P , the
deflection of the assembled beam increases with the increase of load, and the increase of deflection
is basically the same for each additional load, indicating that the assembled beam is in the elastic
working stage at this time. When load 0.5P  P  0.7P , the lower flange of the beam gradually
yields and the deflection increase increases. When load 0.7P  P  0.9P , the assembled beam enters
the destructive stage from the yielding stage, the concrete slab is crushed, the plastic deformation of
the steel beam increases, and the deflection of the assembled beam increases faster. In the construction
of assembled concrete structural combined beams, the load should not exceed half of the ultimate
load, in order to better ensure that the assembled concrete structural combined beams have excellent
elastic working ability, and increase the safety coefficient of the building structure.

Figure 10. Deflection distribution diagram of the combined beam

 Stress analysis of assembled concrete structures with application of finite element modeling 17

4 Conclusion

Based on the theory of the finite element method, this paper constructs the finite element model of
assembled concrete structure from various aspects such as model materials, boundary conditions, and
analysis steps. In order to deeply analyze the stress distribution of the assembled concrete structure,
numerical simulation is carried out by using ABAQUS finite element analysis software, and the
following conclusions are drawn:

1) With the increase of concrete strength, the overall turning angle  of the superstructure
increases from 0.0514° to 0.0756°. When the concrete strength grade is C30-C90, the overall
stiffness of the superstructure is larger, which tends to be more rigid, and it is easier for rigid
body rotation to occur. When the concrete strength grade gradually increases, the yield point
relative stiffness ratio gradually decreases from 0.69 to 0.38, and the peak point relative
stiffness ratio gradually decreases from 0.44 to 0.27. The lateral stiffness of the assembled
concrete structure will be affected by the concrete strength grade, and the higher the strength
grade, the lower the stiffness will be. At this time, the concrete structure is prone to cracking,
and the stress is larger.

2) The four specimens containing steel sections reached the maximum load at a span
displacement of 12.5 mm, while the specimens of the assembled concrete structure without
steel sections reached the maximum load at a span displacement of 7.5 mm. It is necessary to
add an appropriate amount of steel profiles in the casting process of the assembled concrete
structure to ensure that the assembled concrete structure has a greater ultimate load and that
its stress distribution is more uniform to ensure structural integrity.

3) The tensile reinforcement at the left root of the RC frame beam reaches the yield stress when
the lateral shift is 16.1 mm, while the tensile reinforcement at the left root of the frame beam
of the steel frame does not reach the yield during the whole lateral shift, but the reinforcement
at the end of the steel frame reaches the yield stress when the lateral shift is 25.8 mm. It further
reflects that the stress distribution of the assembled concrete structure with steel bones is more
balanced, which can enhance the yield stress of the concrete structure during lateral movement.

4) The deflection of a frame composite beam based on an assembled concrete structure goes
through an elastic working stage, a gradual yielding stage, and a destructive stage as the load
increases. The load condition of the frame assembly beams when it reaches the destructive
stage is between 0.7P  P  0.9P . During the construction of the frame assembly beams, it
is important to pay attention to the load capacity of the assembled concrete structure to better
ensure that the structure will not be ruptured due to excessive loads.

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About the Author

Limei Cao, 1981.1-, female, native place: Changli county, Hebei province, master’s degree, associate
professor, research direction: the teaching and study of concrete structure.

Xiao Song, 1985.9-, female, native place: Hengshui city, Hebei province, master’s degree, associate
professor, research direction: assembly building and project cost management.