A continuous/discontinuous deformation analysis (CDDA) method based on deformable blocks for fracture modeling

Abstract

In the framework of finite element meshes, a novel continuous/discontinuous deformation analysis (CDDA) method is proposed in this paper for modeling of crack problems. In the present CDDA, simple polynomial interpolations are defined at the deformable block elements, and a link element is employed to connect the adjacent block elements. The CDDA is particularly suitable for modeling the fracture propagation because the switch from continuous deformation analysis to discontinuous deformation analysis is natural and convenient without additional procedures. The SIFs (stress intensity factors) for various types of cracks, such as kinked cracks or curved cracks, can be easily computed in the CDDA by using the virtual crack extension technique (VCET). Both the formulation and implementation of the VCET in CDDA are simple and straightforward. Numerical examples indicate that the present CDDA can obtain high accuracy in SIF results with simple polynomial interpolations and insensitive to mesh sizes, and can automatically simulate the crack propagation without degrading accuracy.

Keywords

fracture / crack / propagation / deformable block / continuous/discontinuous deformation analysis (CDDA)

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of Nature Science Foundation of China (NSFC 41130751), National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No.: 2011CB013800), and New Century Excellent Talents Project in China (NCET-12-0415).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg