Grassl Group
Concrete Mechanics for Performance Based Design

Boundary-independent fracture in 2D direct tensile lattice models
Cracks lock onto the mesh boundary in standard direct-tensile lattice runs. Letting elements cross the boundary — a periodic mesh — removes the artefact.

Four single element tests of CDPM2
A single tetrahedron with one Gauss point, four monotonic loadings (tension, compression, simple shear, pure shear). Anyone implementing CDPM2 can test against those as a start. Reproducible in one Docker command.

Rate dependence of corrosion-induced surface cracking in concrete: Lattice modelling and experiments
Ismail Aldellaa, Peter Grassl, Frontiers in Materials, 2026.

The aim of our research at the James Watt School of Engineering at the University of Glasgow is to understand, predict and improve the response of concrete and concrete structures. Our work is focused on deterioration processes, development of new materials, optimisation of material use, repair and strengthening techniques, and response of structures subjected to accidental loading. Currently, our methodologies comprise the following areas: Meso/Micro scale modelling, Constitutive modelling and Structural modelling. We contribute to the development of the finite element program OOFEM. You can find all our models implemented in our github fork of OOFEM. Our results are described in our publications.