Numerical simulations of concrete specimens with the gradient-enhanced Eikonal non-local damage model

ccurately predicting the response of structures subjected to complex loadings is a challeng-ing task in civil engineering. In particular, studying cracking nucleation and propagation is essential to as-sess structural performances. Quasi-brittle materials, such as concrete, are generally modeled using strain-softening constitutive models. According to Continuum Damage Mechanics, material degradation is repre-sented at a macroscopic level by a scalar or tensorial damage variable. However, the strong localization of themechanical fields leads to mesh-dependent finite element numerical simulations. To recover the objectivity ofthe results, damage models need to be regularized. Numerous techniques have been proposed (e.g., non-localmodels, phase-field formulations, micromorphic medium, etc.), acting as localization limiters. This work con-centrates on one class of regularization methods: the so-called non-local damage models of gradient type. Thispaper applies the eikonal gradient-enhanced model to the simulation of experimental tests in a few concretespecimens. Results are provided in terms of the structural response and of the damage maps.