Mesoscale phase-field analysis of rubberized concrete with a Drucker–Prager failure criterion

Abstract

This study introduces a two-dimensional mesoscale numerical model to investigate the fracture behavior of rubberized concrete, in which part of the coarse aggregate is replaced with recycled rubber particles. The framework is implemented in Abaqus through a UMAT user subroutine, employing a generalized phase-field fracture formulation that accommodates diverse crack density functions and fracture driving force splits, including the Drucker–Prager failure criterion. The mesoscale representation explicitly accounts for different aggregate morphologies (circular, elliptical, and polygonal), while rubber particles are consistently modeled as circular inclusions. The model aims to assess the influence of aggregate geometry, spatial distribution, and meshing strategy on the macroscopic stress–strain response, damage evolution, and failure mechanisms under compressive loading. Validation is performed by simulating uniaxial compression tests with varying rubber replacement ratios, with results compared across different aggregate geometries. The numerical predictions show good agreement with experimental data reported in the literature and demonstrate the model’s capability to reproduce the nonlinear and stochastic fracture processes of rubberized concrete.