3D concrete fracture simulations using an explicit phase field model

authored by: Lu Hai, Hui Zhang, Peter Wriggers, Yu jie Huang, Xiao ying Zhuang, Shi lang Xu
Abstract: Phase field models can effectively capture complicated crack evolution characteristics such as propagation, bifurcating, intersecting and merging. However, the simulation of three-dimensional (3D) quasi-brittle fracture remains a challenge due to large nonlinear equation systems and significant computational costs, which are often intractable by iteration-based implicit approaches, especially in complex mixed-mode fracture. This work presents an efficient explicit phase field model based on the unified phase field theory in order to overcome the above issues. In this model, the displacement field is second-order time dependent while the damage-phase field follows a first-order time dependence with a viscosity term. Efficient explicit central- and forward-difference algorithms for each field are developed by combining VUEL and VUMAT subroutines in the software ABAQUS/Explicit; hence, the convergence issue in the implicit phase field modelling is avoided. Several typical 3D fracture benchmarks with different failure modes are analysed for verification purposes and compared with the available experimental data. The results indicate that the developed model and computational implementation method can simulate complex 3D fracture of brittle/quasi-brittle materials with salient accuracy and efficiency, and are promising to meet the requirements in structural-level engineering practices.
Organisation(s): Institute of Continuum Mechanics
Institute of Photonics
External Organisation(s): Ocean University of China
North University of China
Zhejiang University
Type: Article
Journal: International Journal of Mechanical Sciences
Volume: 265
No. of pages: 15
ISSN: 0020-7403
Publication date: 01.03.2024
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Civil and Structural Engineering, Materials Science(all), Condensed Matter Physics, Aerospace Engineering, Ocean Engineering, Mechanics of Materials, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Mathematics
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2023.108907 (Access: Closed)
: Details in the research portal "Research@Leibniz University"

BibTeX

@article{c460e65c089c4d3bbd635a0b212262e2,
title = "3D concrete fracture simulations using an explicit phase field model",
abstract = "Phase field models can effectively capture complicated crack evolution characteristics such as propagation, bifurcating, intersecting and merging. However, the simulation of three-dimensional (3D) quasi-brittle fracture remains a challenge due to large nonlinear equation systems and significant computational costs, which are often intractable by iteration-based implicit approaches, especially in complex mixed-mode fracture. This work presents an efficient explicit phase field model based on the unified phase field theory in order to overcome the above issues. In this model, the displacement field is second-order time dependent while the damage-phase field follows a first-order time dependence with a viscosity term. Efficient explicit central- and forward-difference algorithms for each field are developed by combining VUEL and VUMAT subroutines in the software ABAQUS/Explicit; hence, the convergence issue in the implicit phase field modelling is avoided. Several typical 3D fracture benchmarks with different failure modes are analysed for verification purposes and compared with the available experimental data. The results indicate that the developed model and computational implementation method can simulate complex 3D fracture of brittle/quasi-brittle materials with salient accuracy and efficiency, and are promising to meet the requirements in structural-level engineering practices.",
keywords = "3D crack evolution, Concrete structures, Explicit numerical scheme, Mixed-mode fracture, Unified phase field theory",
author = "Lu Hai and Hui Zhang and Peter Wriggers and Huang, {Yu jie} and Zhuang, {Xiao ying} and Xu, {Shi lang}",
note = "Funding Information: This work is funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 52208296 ), Fundamental Research Program of Shanxi Province ( 202203021212132 and 202203021212142 ) and “Overseas Training Program for Young Talents” of Ocean University of China. The author Peter Wriggers gratefully acknowledges support for this research by the “German Research Foundation” (DFG) in the PRIORITY PROGRAM SPP 2020, project WR 19/58-2. ",
year = "2024",
month = mar,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2023.108907",
language = "English",
volume = "265",
journal = "International Journal of Mechanical Sciences",
issn = "0020-7403",
publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",
}