A gradient-enhanced smeared crack model is utilised in finite element simulations of plain and reinforced concrete. It is rooted in a plasticity concept and uses a Rankine failure surface dependent on an equivalent fracture strain measure, as well as on its Laplacian. The loss of well-posedness of the boundary value problem at the onset of localisation is avoided, and finitely sized fracture process zones are obtained.
A Double-Edge-Notched concrete specimen loaded in a combination of tension and shear is analysed and the results are verified against the experimental data. A reinforced concrete bar in uniaxial tension is calculated to evaluate the regularising influence on reinforced concrete structures.