Stress fields and Strut-and-Tie methods

The stress fields method, as the strut-and-tie method, has been very successful in the design and dimensioning of new structures, as well as for checking existing structures. They have inspired numerous codes and international recommandations.

The method of elastic-plastic stress field has been developed in everal recent research projects and is regularly applied by the Reinforced Concrete Laboratory of EPFL, both in teaching and in research. A freely accessible software can also be used by practicing engineers to solve real-life cases..

The research currently under way aims at checking the applicability of that method to complex cases and at developing a tool for the study of elements subjected to transverse bending.

Elastic-plastic stress fields

• Muttoni A., Fernández Ruiz M., Niketic F., Design versus Assessment of Concrete Structures Using Stress Fields and Strut-and-Tie Models, ACI Structural Journal, Vol.112, No 5, Farmington Hills, USA, 2015, pp. 605-616.
• Fernández Ruiz M., Muttoni A., On Development of Suitable Stress Fields for Structural Concrete, ACI Structural Journal, Vol. 104, No 4, Farmington Hills, USA, 2007, pp. 495-502.
• Argirova G., Fernández Ruiz M., Muttoni A., How simple can nonlinear finite element modelling be for structural concrete?, Informes de la Construcción, Vol. 66, Spain, 2014, 8 p.

Stress fields and mechanisms methods

• Muttoni A., Kostic N., Fernández Ruiz M., Discussion of paper 'Factors affecting strength of elements designed using strut-and-tie models', ACI Structural Journal, 104-S36, USA, 2008, pp. 233-235.

Rigid-plastic stress fields

• Muttoni A., Schwartz J., Thürlimann B., Design of Concrete Structures with Stress Fields, Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel, Switzerland, 1996, 143 p.