A Continuum Model for Dynamic Tensile Microfracture and Fragmentation

A continuum model for dynamic tensile cleavage fracture and fragmentation has been developed for detailed simulation of brittle fracture processes in elastoplastic materials. The model includes processes for nucleation of microcracks, stress-dependent growth, coalescence and fragmentation, and stress relaxation caused by the developing damage. Fracturing is characterized by a crack density with a distribution of sizes at each material point. The model extends previous work by treating more completely full material separation and stress-free volume growth, as well as multiple loadings, unloadings, and recompaction, and by describing the damage in greater microscopic detail.