Fracture Mechanics of a Three-Layer Wall Panel Based on Two-Stage Concrete

Stress distribution in a three-layer wall panel based on two-stage concrete with rigid contact between the layers is modelled. The calculation is performed in ANSYS Workbench finite-element software. Values of failure criteria (principal stress and equivalent stress) are calculated near stress concentrators, i.e. edges separating the loaded and fixed faces of the panel. It is obtained that fracture begins at the boundary between the loaded and non-loaded layers of the structure. It is shown that the thermal insulation layer made of porous concrete in the center of the panel can carry part of the load acting on the bearing layer. So, structures made using the two-stage technology may withstand loads that are higher compared to that of panels with flexible ties. Moreover, it is shown that thermal resistance of the three-layer two-stage concrete panel is twice as high as for a single-layer panel of the same width. Therefore, the use of two-stage concrete panels is an effective measure for heat conservation in buildings.