A damage model with evolving nonlocal interactions

We present a damage model for softening materials with evolving nonlocal interactions. The thermodynamic implications and the material stability issue are addressed. The proposed nonlocal averaging scheme provides the obtained constitutive models with an evolving nonlocal interaction which is activated only when damage occurs. In the analysis of structures made of quasi-brittle materials, this feature helps not only to overcome some issues with the incorrect initiation of damage but also to better control the evolving size of the active fracture process zone. This is an essential feature that is usually not considered in depth in many existing nonlocal approaches to the continuum modelling of quasi-brittle fracture. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate features of the proposed modelling approach.     

A symmetric over-nonlocal microplane model M4 for fracture in concrete

This paper analyzes the effectiveness of a nonlocal integral-type formulation of a constitutive law such as microplane model M4 in which the yield limits soften as a function of the total strain for prediction of fracture propagation. For a correct regularization of the mathematical problems caused by the softening behavior, an “over-nonlocal” generalization of the type proposed by Vermeer and Brinkgreve [Vermeer, P.A., Brinkgreve, R.B.J., 1994. A new effective non-local strain measure for softening plasticity. In: Chambon, R., Desrues, J., Vardoulakis, I. (Eds.), Localization and Bifurcation Theory for Soil and Rocks, Balkema, Rotterdam, pp. 89–100.] is adopted. Moreover, the symmetric weight function, proposed by Borino et al. [Borino, G. Failla, B., Parrinello, F., 2003. A symmetric nonlocal damage theory. International Journal of Solids and Structure 40, 3621–3645.] for damage mechanics, is introduced for the calculation of the nonlocal averaging of the total strain upon which the yield limits depend. The capability of the proposed model for reproducing the stress and strain fields in the vicinity of a notch is also investigated. Finally, the symmetric over-nonlocal generalization of microplane model M4 has been applied for the simulation of a mixed-mode fracture test such as the four-point-shear test and the test of axial tension at constant shear force [Nooru-Mohamend, M.B., 1992. Mixed-mode fracture of concrete: an experimental approach. Doctoral Thesis Delft University of Thechnology, Delft, The Netherlands.]     

Meso-scale approach to modelling the fracture process zone of concrete subjected to uniaxial tension

A meso-scale analysis is performed to determine the fracture process zone of concrete subjected to uniaxial tension. The meso-structure of concrete is idealised as stiff aggregates embedded in a soft matrix and separated by weak interfaces. The mechanical response of the matrix, the inclusions and the interface between the matrix and the inclusions is modelled by a discrete lattice approach. The inelastic response of the lattice elements is described by a damage approach, which corresponds to a continuous reduction of the stiffness of the springs. The fracture process in uniaxial tension is approximated by an analysis of a two-dimensional cell with periodic boundary conditions. The spatial distribution of dissipated energy density at the meso-scale of concrete is determined. The size and shape of the deterministic FPZ is obtained as the average of random meso-scale analyses. Additionally, periodicity of the discretisation is prescribed to avoid influences of the boundaries of the periodic cell on fracture patterns. The results of these analyses are then used to calibrate an integral-type nonlocal model.     

Analytical solutions for buckling of size-dependent Timoshenko beams

The inconsistences of the higher-order shear resultant expressed in terms of displacement(s) and the complete boundary value problems of structures modeled by the nonlocal strain gradient theory have not been well addressed. This paper develops a size-dependent Timoshenko beam model that considers both the nonlocal effect and strain gradient effect. The variationally consistent boundary conditions corresponding to the equations of motion of Timoshenko beams are reformulated with the aid of the weighted residual method. The complete boundary value problems of nonlocal strain gradient Timoshenko beams undergoing buckling are solved in closed forms. All the possible higher-order boundary conditions induced by the strain gradient are selectively suggested based on the fact that the buckling loads increase with the increasing aspect ratios of beams from the conventional mechanics point of view. Then, motivated by the expression for beams with simply-supported(SS) boundary conditions, some semiempirical formulae are obtained by curve fitting procedures.     

基于结构化变形驱动的非局部宏-微观损伤模型的真Ⅱ型裂纹模拟

Ⅱ型载荷作用下裂纹变形模式也为Ⅱ型的破坏问题称为真Ⅱ型破坏.准确定量地把握真Ⅱ型破坏的全过程是具有挑战性的问题.本文采用结构化变形驱动的非局部宏-微观损伤模型对真Ⅱ型破坏问题进行了模拟.根据结构化变形理论将点偶的非局部应变分解为弹性应变与结构化应变两部分,进而利用Cauchy-Born准则与结构化应变计算点偶的结构化正伸长量.在本文中,结构化应变取为非局部应变的偏量部分.当点偶的结构化正伸长量超过临界伸长量时,微细观损伤开始在点偶层次发展.将微细观损伤在作用域中进行加权求和得到拓扑损伤,并通过能量退化函数将其嵌入到连续介质-损伤力学框架中进行数值求解.进一步地,本文采用Gauss-Lobatto积分格式计算点偶的非局部应变,将积分点数目降低到4个,显著降低了前处理和非线性分析的计算成本.通过对Ⅱ型加载下裂尖应变场的分析揭示了采用偏应变作为结构化应变的原因.对两个典型真Ⅱ型破坏问题的模拟结果表明,本文方法不仅可以把握Ⅱ型加载下的真Ⅱ型裂纹扩展模式,同时可以定量刻画加载过程中的载荷-变形曲线,且不具有网格敏感性.最后指出了需要进一步研究的问题.     

半结晶聚合物损伤演化的实验表征与数值模拟

损伤本构模型对研究材料的断裂失效行为有重要意义, 但聚合物材料损伤演化的定量表征实验研究相对匮乏. 通过4种高密度聚乙烯(high density polythylene, HDPE)缺口圆棒试样的单轴拉伸实验获得了各类试样的载荷-位移曲线和真应力-应变曲线, 采用实验和有限元模拟相结合的方法确定了HDPE材料不同应力状态下的本构关系, 并建立了缺口半径与应力三轴度之间的关系;采用两阶段实验法定量描述了4种HDPE试样单轴拉伸过程中的弹性模量变化, 并建立了基于弹性模量衰减的损伤演化方程, 结合中断实验和扫描电子显微镜分析了应力状态对HDPE材料微观结构演化的影响. 结果表明缺口半径越小, 应力三轴度越大, 损伤起始越早、演化越快; 微观表现为: 高应力三轴度促进孔洞的萌生和发展, 但抑制纤维状结构的产生;基于实验和有限元模拟获得的断裂应变、应力三轴度、损伤演化方程等信息提出了一种适用于聚合物的损伤模型参数确定方法, 最后将本文获得的本构关系和损伤模型用于HDPE平板的冲压成形模拟, 模拟结果与实验结果吻合良好.      

Experimental and numerical investigation of fracture in a cast aluminium alloy

This paper describes an experimental and numerical investigation on the fracture behaviour of a cast AlSi9MgMn aluminium alloy. In the experiments, a modified Arcan test set-up was used to study mixed-mode fracture. During testing, the tension load and the displacement of the actuator of the test machine were recorded, simultaneously as a high-resolution digital camera was used to record a speckle-patterned surface of the specimen. The recorded images were post-processed using an in-house digital image correlation (DIC) software to obtain information of the displacement and strain fields in the specimen during the test. In addition, some newly implemented features in the DIC software allowed us to detect and follow the crack propagation in the material. The numerical calculations were carried out with a user-defined material model implemented in an explicit finite element code. In the model, the material behaviour is described by the classical J₂ flow theory, while fracture was modelled by the Cockcroft–Latham criterion, assuming the fracture parameter to follow a modified weakest-link Weibull distribution. With the proposed probabilistic fracture modelling approach, the fracture parameter can be introduced as a random variable in the finite element simulations. Crack propagation was modelled by element erosion, and a non-local damage formulation was used to reduce mesh-size sensitivity. To reveal the effect of mesh density and meshing technique on the force–displacement curves and the crack propagation, several different meshes were used in the numerical simulations of the modified Arcan tests. The numerical results were finally compared to the experimental data and the agreement between the measured and predicted response was evaluated.     

Characterizing void nucleation in a damage-based constitutive model using notched tensile sheet specimens

An experimental and numerical test programme was conducted to investigate damage-induced ductile fracture in notched tensile sheet specimens of an aluminum–magnesium alloy. An upper bound, damage-based constitutive model was employed to estimate the formability of the material over a range of stress states found in sheet metal forming. Stress- and strain-based nucleation models are evaluated to characterize damage initiation and fracture of the material. The ligament strain-to-failure, elongation-to-failure and load–displacement curves can be captured using either nucleation rule. The advantages of each nucleation model are discussed in relation to quantitative measurements of damage available in the literature. Stress-based nucleation provides a promising approach for characterizing the nucleation behaviour over a range of stress states compared to strain-based nucleation.     

Experimental Research into Fracture of EN-AW 2024 and EW-AW 2007 Aluminum Alloy Specimens with Notches Subjected to Tension

The paper presents the results of experimental tests of elasto-plastic fracture of axially symmetric specimens with circumferential notches with various round notch radii at the notch’s root. The tests were conducted for two materials: EN-AW 2024 and EN-AW 2007 aluminum alloys. The specimens were subjected to monotonic uniaxial tensile test. Special attention was paid to the shape of the fracture surface, the change of critical force value and the maximum displacement, depending on the shape of the notch. Additionally, hardening curves are presented for the adopted materials and the results of Finite Element calculations of stress and strain fields in the specimens with different notch radii.     

Static and dynamic behaviour of nonlocal elastic bar using integral strain-based and peridynamic models

The static and dynamic behaviour of a nonlocal bar of finite length is studied in this paper. The nonlocal integral models considered in this paper are strain-based and relative displacement-based nonlocal models; the latter one is also labelled as a peridynamic model. For infinite media, and for sufficiently smooth displacement fields, both integral nonlocal models can be equivalent, assuming some kernel correspondence rules. For infinite media (or finite media with extended reflection rules), it is also shown that Eringen's differential model can be reformulated into a consistent strain-based integral nonlocal model with exponential kernel, or into a relative displacement-based integral nonlocal model with a modified exponential kernel. A finite bar in uniform tension is considered as a paradigmatic static case. The strain-based nonlocal behaviour of this bar in tension is analyzed for different kernels available in the literature. It is shown that the kernel has to fulfil some normalization and end compatibility conditions in order to preserve the uniform strain field associated with this homogeneous stress state. Such a kernel can be built by combining a local and a nonlocal strain measure with compatible boundary conditions, or by extending the domain outside its finite size while preserving some kinematic compatibility conditions. The same results are shown for the nonlocal peridynamic bar where a homogeneous strain field is also analytically obtained in the elastic bar for consistent compatible kinematic boundary conditions at the vicinity of the end conditions. The results are extended to the vibration of a fixed–fixed finite bar where the natural frequencies are calculated for both the strain-based and the peridynamic models.     

Stochastic damage hysteretic model for concrete based on micromechanical approach

In the present paper, a kind of stochastic damage hysteretic model is proposed to describe the damage and hysteretic behaviors of concrete material. According to the model, a parallel system made up of micro-elements, which are developed based on the micro-tensile and shear damage mechanism respectively, is adopted to obtain the overall responses of concrete. The influence of plastic strain and hysteretic energy dissipation of the material are also considered in the model. To reflect the stochastic properties of concrete, the fracture strain of the micro-element is set as a random variable. Then the monotonic, loading and unloading curves of the parallel system are derived analytically by averaging the stochastic micro-elements and two hysteretic rules are combined to the proposed model to account for complicated loading conditions. Furthermore, a nonlocal process is introduced to the model to overcome the mesh dependence issues of softening materials. Finally, several numerical examples are conducted, demonstrating that the proposed model can provide reliable results reflecting the damage, plasticity and hysteretic behaviors of concrete material.     

Applicability of the crack faces thermoelectric boundary conditions for thermopiezoelectric materials

The applicability and effect of the crack surfaces thermoelectric boundary conditions in thermopiezoelectric fracture mechanics problem are discussed by using the finite thickness notch approach. The stress and electric displacement intensity factors at the notch tips, and thermal flux and electric displacement inside the notch are derived in closed-form. The numerical results are compared with the ideal crack solutions. It is found that the electrically impermeable crack boundary condition assumption is reasonable if the flaw in the material is a notch with finite width, and the thermal conductivity of air or vacuum inside the crack must be considered.     

A micromechanics based damage model for composite materials

The predictive capacity of ductile fracture models when applied to composite and multiphase materials is related to the accuracy of the estimated stress/strain level in the second phases or reinforcements, which defines the condition for damage nucleation. Second phase particles contribute to the overall hardening of the composite before void nucleation, as well as to its softening after their fracture or decohesion. If the volume fraction of reinforcement is larger than a couple of percents, this softening can significantly affect the resistance to plastic localization and cannot be neglected. In order to explicitly account for the effect of second phase particles on the ductile fracture process, this study integrates a damage model based on the Gologanu–Leblond–Devaux constitutive behavior with a mean-field homogenization scheme. Even though the model is more general, the present study focuses on elastic particles dispersed in an elasto-plastic matrix. After assessing the mean-field homogenization scheme through comparison with two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element calculations, an extensive parametric study is performed using the integrated homogenization-damage model. The predictions of the integrated homogenization-damage model are also compared with experimental results on cast aluminum alloys, in terms of both the fracture strain and overall stress–strain curves. The study demonstrates the complex couplings among the load transfer to second phase particles, their resistance to fracture, the void nucleation mode, and the overall ductility.     

Damage Evolution and Crack Propagation in Semicircular Bending Asphalt Mixture Specimens

The damage and fracture behaviors of semicircular bending(SCB) asphalt mixture specimens with different orientation notches are experimentally and numerically investigated. In the numerical simulations, asphalt mixture is modeled as a two-phase material, namely a mix of coarse aggregates and asphalt mastic, and the mechanical behavior of asphalt mastic is characterized with the damage constitutive model and the damage-based fracture criterion. Some SCB experiments are performed on the asphalt mixture specimens with different orientation notches to validate the numerical method. Finally, the effects of notch orientation and aggregate distribution on crack path, damage distribution, and the load vs.displacement relation are numerically evaluated.     

Non-localness of Excess Potentials and Boundary Value Problems of Poisson–Nernst–Planck Systems for Ionic Flow: A Case Study

Poisson–Nernst–Planck (PNP) type systems are basic primitive models for ionic flow through ion channels. Important properties of ion channels, such as current-voltage relations, permeation and selectivity, can be extracted from solutions of boundary value problems (BVP) of PNP type models. Many issues of BVP of PNP type systems with local excess potentials (including particularly classical PNP systems that treat ions as point-charges) are extensively examined analytically and numerically. On the other hand, for PNP type systems with nonlocal excess potentials, even the issue of well-posedness of BVP is poorly understood. In fact, the formulation of correct boundary conditions seems to be overlooked, even though complications of ionic behavior near the boundaries (locations of applied electrodes) have been long experienced in experiments and simulations. PNP type systems with nonlocal excess potentials can be viewed as functional differential systems and, for many approximation models of nonlocal excess potentials, as differential equations with both delays and advances. Thus PNP type systems with nonlocal excess potentials have infinite degree of freedoms and BVP with the traditional “two-point-boundary-conditions” would be severely under determined. The mathematical theory for PNP with nonlocal excess potential would be significantly different from that for PNP with local excess potentials. Taking into considerations of experimental designs of ionic flow through ion channels and in a relatively simple setting, we present a form of natural “boundary conditions” so that the corresponding BVP of PNP type systems with nonlocal excess potentials are generally well-posed. This work, at an early stage toward a better understanding of related issues, provides some insights on interpretations of experimental designs of imposing boundary conditions and for correct formulations of numerical simulations, and hopefully, will stimulate further mathematical analysis on this important issue.     

Experimental displacement patterns in a 2 × 2 quadrant block with permeability and wettability heterogeneities—problems for numerical modelling

The effect of heterogeneities on miscible and immiscible flood displacements in 2D bead packs in quadrant form, 2 × 2 block heterogeneity, with either a permeability or a wettability contrast is the subject of this paper. The physical processes occurring during miscible and immiscible flow and displacement within permeability and wettability quadrant bead pack models have been studied experimentally. This geometry occurs in a number of situations relevant to hydrocarbon production: particularly faults where adjacent rocks have large permeability contrasts with rapid changes, in the laboratory with core butting, in reservoir simulation where grid blocks have different permeability and in reservoirs having near-wellbore damage problems. The model quadrants 1–4, had 1 and 4 and 2 and 3 with identical properties, either in permeability or wettability. Reported are complete unit mobility miscible displacements, then the effects of viscosity differences (mobility modifiers) and finally immiscible displacements on displacement patterns for initial linear injection. The experiments demonstrate that nodal flow occurs for both miscible and immiscible flow, but for immiscible flow there are boundary effects due to capillary pressure differences created by water saturation changes or wettability contrasts which can leave patches of isolated fluid within a quadrant. The displacement patterns for the different models and fluids change significantly with the viscosity and wettability changes, particularly for the immiscible displacements. This is due to the changing capillary pressure between the quadrant blocks as the water saturation change. These are difficult to address in numerical modelling but should be accounted for. Other effects include coupling of all physical processes governing the flow through the node and creations of microzones of trapped residual oil. Our displacement patterns can therefore be a valuable verification benchmark tool for numerical modelling and a calibration data source for those wishing to simulate the effects of capillary pressure under differing wettability conditions and for those investigating upscaling modelling procedures. However, the possible loss of physical reality when averaging must always be considered.     

超塑性变形晶界效应研究综述

自1934年超塑性现象被发现, 一直以其特殊的塑性变形机制而备受关注.本文以对超塑性变形晶界研究为主线, 从力学角度总结了近年来研究成果. 包括: 基于晶界拓扑构造、统计规律以及能量耗散的力学模型; 论述了由孔洞损伤导致的超塑性沿晶破坏、晶界结构演化与宏观率敏感性之间的关系; 列举了考虑晶界效应的典型超塑性数值模型; 总结并讨论了晶界滑移定量表征的重要实验手段, 指出超塑性研究中需进一步拓展的领域: 多尺度耦合的超塑性力学、材料制备及组合工艺中利用超塑性.      

Nonlocal microplane model with strain-softening yield limits

The paper deals with the problem of nonlocal generalization of constitutive models such as microplane model M4 for concrete, in which the yield limits, called stress–strain boundaries, are softening functions of the total strain. Such constitutive models call for a different nonlocal generalization than those for continuum damage mechanics, in which the total strain is reversible, or for plasticity, in which there is no memory of the initial state. In the proposed nonlocal formulation, the softening yield limit is a function of the spatially averaged nonlocal strains rather than the local strains, while the elastic strains are local. It is demonstrated analytically as well numerically that, with the proposed nonlocal model, the tensile stress across the strain localization band at very large strain does soften to zero and the cracking band retains a finite width even at very large tensile strain across the band only if one adopts an “over-nonlocal” generalization of the type proposed by Vermeer and Brinkgreve [In: Chambon, R., Desrues, J., Vardoulakis, I. (Eds.), Localisation and Bifurcation Theory for Soils and Rocks, Balkema, Rotterdam, 1994, p. 89] (and also used by Planas et al. [Basic issue of nonlocal models: uniaxial modeling, Tecnical Report 96-jp03, Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 1996], and by Strömberg and Ristinmaa [Comput. Meth. Appl. Mech. Eng. 136 (1996) 127]). Numerical finite element studies document the avoidance of spurious mesh sensitivity and mesh orientation bias, and demonstrate objectivity and size effect.     

A nonlocal model with strain-based damage

A thermodynamically consistent formulation of nonlocal damage in the framework of the internal variable theories of inelastic behaviours of associative type is presented. The damage behaviour is defined in the strain space and the effective stress turns out to be additively splitted in the actual stress and in the nonlocal counterpart of the relaxation stress related to damage phenomena. An important advantage of models with strain-based loading functions and explicit damage evolution laws is that the stress corresponding to a given strain can be evaluated directly without any need for solving a nonlinear system of equations. A mixed nonlocal variational formulation in the complete set of state variables is presented and is specialized to a mixed two-field variational formulation. Hence a finite element procedure for the analysis of the elastic model with nonlocal damage is established on the basis of the proposed two-field variational formulation. Two examples concerning a one-dimensional bar in simple tension and a two-dimensional notched plate are addressed. No mesh dependence or boundary effects are apparent.     

Mixed mode (I and II) crack tip fields in bulk metallic glasses

Stationary crack tip fields in bulk metallic glasses under mixed mode (I and II) loading are studied through detailed finite element simulations assuming plane strain, small scale yielding conditions. The influence of internal friction or pressure sensitivity on the plastic zones, notch deformation, stress and plastic strain fields is examined for different mode mixities. Under mixed mode loading, the notch deforms into a shape such that one part of its surface sharpens while the other part blunts. Increase in mode II component of loading dramatically enhances the normalized plastic zone size, lowers the stresses but significantly elevates the plastic strain levels near the notch tip. Higher internal friction reduces the peak tangential stress but increases the plastic strain and stretching near the blunted part of the notch. The simulated shear bands are straight and extend over a long distance ahead of the notch tip under mode II dominant loading. The possible variations of fracture toughness with mode mixity corresponding to failure by brittle micro-cracking and ductile shear banding are predicted employing two simple fracture criteria. The salient results from finite element simulations are validated by comparison with those from mixed mode (I and II) fracture experiments on a Zr-based bulk metallic glass.