Concrete and Rock Materials
In Radioss these materials can be used to represent rock or concrete materials.
These materials use a Drücker–Prager yield criterion1, which is a pressure-dependent model for determining whether a material has failed or undergone plastic yielding.
Concrete Material (/MAT/LAW10 and /MAT/LAW21)
Drücker-Prager Yield Criteria
- J2J2
- Second stress invariant (von Mises stress) of the deviatoric part of the stress and P=−I13P=−I13.
- I1I1
- First stress invariant (hydrostatic pressure).
- I1=σ1+σ2+σ3=−3PI1=σ1+σ2+σ3=−3P
- J2=16[(σ1−σ2)2+(σ2−σ3)2+(σ3−σ1)2]=13σVM2J2=16[(σ1−σ2)2+(σ2−σ3)2+(σ3−σ1)2]=13σVM2
- In a uniaxial test.

- If F<0F<0, J2<A0+A1P+A2P2J2<A0+A1P+A2P2 the material is under yield surface and is in the elastic region.
- If F=0F=0, J2=A0+A1P+A2P2J2=A0+A1P+A2P2 and the material is at the yield surface.
- If F>0F>0, J2>A0+A1P+A2P2J2>A0+A1P+A2P2 and the material is past the yield surface and has failed.
- If A1=A2=0A1=A2=0, σVM=√3J2=√3A0σVM=√3J2=√3A0, which is the von Mises criterion.Figure 2.
Pressure Computation
- If Pext=0Pext=0, the pressure is P=ΔPP=ΔP and the pressure limit is Pmin=ΔPminPmin=ΔPmin.Figure 3. Pressure curve without external pressure
- If Pext≠0Pext≠0, the pressure is shifted by PextPext, then P=Pext+ΔPP=Pext+ΔP and the pressure limit is Pmin=Pext+ΔPminPmin=Pext+ΔPmin.Figure 4. Pressure curve with external pressure
- In traction or tension the pressure is linear and limited by ΔPminΔPmin.
- In compression the pressure is nonlinear also limited by ΔPminΔPmin.
The only difference between the material laws is that in LAW10 the material constants C0,C1,C2,C3C0,C1,C2,C3 are used to describe the pressure versus volumetric strain (P−μP−μ curve). In LAW21 you can describe this curve via function input fct_IDf.
Load and Unload
- In Tension (μ<0μ<0)
- For LAW10, linear loading and unloading with P=C1μP=C1μ (Figure 3).
- For LAW21, loading is defined using the input function fct_IDf and linear unloading with P=KtμP=Ktμ.
- In Compression (μ>0μ>0), for both LAW10 and LAW21:
- If neither B and
μmaxμmax are defined, the loading and unloading path
are identical. Figure 5. Identical loading and unloading for LAW10 and LAW21
- If either B or
μmaxμmax is defined:
- If only B is defined, μmaxμmax is the volumetric strain where the tangent of P−μP−μ curve is equal to B with B=dPdμ|μmaxB=dPdμ∣∣μmax.
- If only
μmaxμmax is defined, then B is the tangent
of P−μP−μ curve at
μmaxμmax. The loading and unloading in
compression is:
- If μ>μmaxμ>μmax, loading and unloading path are identical.
- If μ<μmaxμ<μmax, loading and unloading
path are different, it is linear unloading with
slope B. Figure 6. Different loading and unloading treatment for LAW10 and LAW21
- If neither B and
μmaxμmax are defined, the loading and unloading path
are identical.
Concrete Material (/MAT/LAW24)
LAW24 uses a Drücker-Prager criteria with or without a cap in yield to model a reinforced concrete material. This material law assumes that the two failure mechanisms of the concrete material are tensile cracking and compressive crushing.
Concrete Tensile Behavior

In the initial very small elastic phase, the material has an elastic modulus Ec.

When there is crack closure, the concrete becomes elastic again, and the damage factor (for each direction) is conserved.
The bearing capacity of concrete in tensile is much lower than in compression. It is normally considered elastic when in tension.
It is recommended to choose a Dsup value close to 1 (default is 0.99999) in order to minimize the current stiffness at the end of the damage and consequently avoid residual stress in tension, which can become very high if the element is highly deformed due to tension. This will happen if the force causing the damage remains.
It is possible to adjust the Dsup (and Ht) in order to simulate and fit the behavior of concrete reinforced by fibers. The concrete material fails once it reaches the total failure strain εmaxεmax.
Concrete Yield Surface in Compression
For concrete, the yield surface is the beginning of the plastic hardening zone which is between the failure surface, rfrf, and the yield surface.
- For Icap
=0 or 1 (without a cap in yield) the
yield curve is:Figure 9. Drücker-Prager Criteria without a Cap in Yield
- For Icap
=2 (with cap in yield) the yield is:Figure 10. Drücker-Prager Criteria with Cap in Yield
- r<k(σm,k0)⋅rfr<k(σm,k0)⋅rf (green area in Figure 10)
- The material is under yield in the elastic phase.
- r≥rfr≥rf (red area in Figure 10)
- The material has failed.
- k(σm,k0)⋅rf<r<rfk(σm,k0)⋅rf<r<rf (yellow area in Figure 10)
- The material is above yield and below the failure surface which is the plastic hardening phase.
The input parameter ρtρt is the hydrostatic failure pressure in a uniaxial tension test and ρcρc is the hydrostatic pressure by failure in a uniaxial compression test.
- When σm≥ρtσm≥ρt (in tension) the scale factor k(σm,k0)=1k(σm,k0)=1. In this case, the yield surface equals the
failure surface, r=rfr=rf.Figure 11. kk Function in the Tension Zone
- In the tension-compression region, ρt>σm≥ρcρt>σm≥ρc, thenk(σm,k0)=1+(1−k0)⋅[ρt(2ρc−ρt)−2ρcσm+σm2](ρc−ρt)2k(σm,k0)=1+(1−k0)⋅[ρt(2ρc−ρt)−2ρcσm+σm2](ρc−ρt)2 with ky≤k0≤1ky≤k0≤1Figure 12. kk Function in the Compression-Tension Mixed Zone
- The rest of the curve depends on the
Icap option and the
different scale factors k(σm,k0)k(σm,k0) used.
- For Icap
=0 or 1 and σm<ρcσm<ρc (in compression), then k(σm,k0)=kyk(σm,k0)=kyFigure 13. kk Function in the Compression Zone
- For Icap
=2 (with cap in yield) and ρc<σm<fkρc<σm<fk (in compression), then k(σm,k0)=kyk(σm,k0)=kyFigure 14. kk Function in Drücker-Prager Criteria without a Cap
- In fk<σm<f0fk<σm<f0 (in cap zone)k(σm,k0)=k0[1−(σm−fkf0−fk)2]k(σm,k0)=k0[1−(σm−fkf0−fk)2] with 0≤k0≤ky0≤k0≤kyFigure 15. kk Function in Drücker-Prager Criteria with a Cap
- For Icap
=0 or 1 and σm<ρcσm<ρc (in compression), then k(σm,k0)=kyk(σm,k0)=ky
The material constant kyky should be 0≤ky≤10≤ky≤1. A higher value of kyky results in a higher yield surface.


Concrete Plastic Flow Rule in Compression
- αα
- Plastic dilatancy.
- α=∂g∂I1α=∂g∂I1
- Governs the volumetric plastic flow.
- I1I1
- First stress invariant (hydrostatic pressure).
- If k0=Kyk0=Ky
- then, α=αyα=αy which means the material is in yield.
- If k0<Kyk0<Ky
- then, αα becomes negative is the cap region.
- If k0=1k0=1
- then, α=αfα=αf which means the material has failed.
The values of αy, αfαy, αf are used to describe the material beyond yield, but before failure. It is recommended to use -0.2 and -0.1 for αy, αfαy, αf in LAW24. If very small values of αy, αfαy, αf are used, there is no volumetric plasticity (no cap region).
Concrete Crushing Failure in Compression
- ftft
- Uniaxial tension (triaxiality is 1/3)
- fcfc
- Uniaxial compression (triaxiality is -1/3)
- fbfb
- Biaxial compression (triaxiality is -2/3)
- f2f2
- Confined compression strength (tri-axial test)
- s0s0
- Under confined pressure

Load Type | Surface Point | Default Input | Criteria rr | Pressure σmσm | Lode Angle θθ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Compression | (fc,0,0)(fc,0,0) | Mandatory | r=√2/3r=√2/3 | σm=−1/3σm=−1/3 | cosθ=−1cosθ=−1 |
Direct Tensile | (ft,0,0)(ft,0,0) | ft=0.1fcft=0.1fc | r=√2/3(ftfc)r=√2/3(ftfc) | σm=1/3(ftfc)σm=1/3(ftfc) | cosθ=1cosθ=1 |
Biaxial Compression | (f2,s0,s0)(f2,s0,s0) | If
Icap =
1 f2=4.0fcf2=4.0fc
If Icap = 2 f2=7.0fcf2=7.0fc s0=1.25fcs0=1.25fc |
r=√2/3(ftfc)σmr=√2/3(ftfc)σm | σm=2/3(ftfc)σm=2/3(ftfc) | cosθ=1cosθ=1 |
Compression Strength under Confinement Pressure | (fb,fb,0)(fb,fb,0) | fb=1.2fcfb=1.2fc | r=√2/3f2−s0fcr=√2/3f2−s0fc | σm=f2+2s03fcσm=f2+2s03fc | cosθ=−1cosθ=−1 |








Where the failure curve is defined using r=√2J2=√23σVMr=√2J2=√23σVM and σm=I13σm=I13 is the mean stress (pressure), then I1I1 and J2J2 are the first and second stress invariants.
The material fails once it reaches the failure curve rfrf.
Concrete Reinforcement
- One way is to use beam or truss elements and connect them to the concrete with kinematic conditions.
- Another way is to use the parameters in LAW24 along with the orthotropic
solid property /PROP/TYPE6 to define the reinforced
direction. Parameters α1, α2, α3α1, α2, α3 in LAW24 are used to define the
reinforcement cross-section area ratio to the whole concrete section area in
direction 1, 2, 3.
(13) αi=AreasteelAreaconcreteαi=AreasteelAreaconcrete

Concrete Material (/MAT/LAW81)
LAW81 can be used to model rock or concrete materials.
Drücker-Prager Yield Criteria
- von Mises stress with q=σVM=√3J2q=σVM=√3J2
- pp
- Pressure is defined as p=13I1p=13I1

- The linear part
(p≤pap≤pa), where the scale function is rc(p)=1rc(p)=1 which leads to the von Mises stress being linearly proportional to pressure:
(15) q=ptanϕ+cq=ptanϕ+c Where,- cc
- Cohesive and is the intercept of yield envelope with the shear strength.
- ϕϕ
- Angle of internal friction, which defines the slope of the yield envelope.
cc and ϕϕ are also used to define the Mohr-Coulomb yield surface. The Drücker-Prage yield surface is a smooth version of the Mohr-Coulomb yield surface.
- The second part
(pa<p<pbpa<p<pb) of the yield surface simulates a cap limit. An increase of pressure in a rock or concrete material will increase the yield of the material; but, if pressure increases enough, then the rock or concrete material will be crushed. The Drücker-Prager model with the cap limit can be used to model this behavior. The cap limit defined in part
and uses the scale function:
(16) rc(p)=√1−(p−papb−pa)2 The von Mises stress is:(17) q=√1−(p−papb−pa)2⋅(ptanϕ+c) Where,- pb
- Curve is defined using the fct_IDPb input
- pa
- Computed by Radioss using the input α ratio value.
pa=α⋅pb with 0<α<1.
Where, p0 is the maximum point of yield curve, where ∂F∂p(p0)=0
If p=pb, then rc(pb)=0 and the yield function is then,
q=0⋅(ptanϕ+c)=0 which means the material is crushed.

- G=q−p⋅tanψ=0 if p≤pa
- G=q−tanψ(p−(p−pa)22(p0−pa))=0 if pa<p≤p0
- G=F if p>p0
