Microcrack interaction brittle rock subjected to uniaxial tensile loads

A micromechanics-based model is proposed to describe unstable damage evolution in microcrack-weakened brittle rock material. The influence of all microcracks with different sizes and orientations are introduced into the constitutive relation by using the statistical average method. Effects of microcrack interaction on the complete stress–strain relation as well as the localization of damage for microcrack-weakened brittle rock material are analyzed by using effective medium method. Each microcrack is assumed to be embedded in an approximate effective medium that is weakened by uniformly distributed microcracks of the statistically-averaged length depending on the actual damage state. The elastic moduli of the approximate effective medium can be determined by using the dilute distribution method. Micromechanical kinetic equations for stable and unstable growth characterizing the ‘process domains’ of active microcracks are taken into account. These ‘process domains’ together with ‘open microcrack domains’ completely determine the integration domains of ensemble averaged constitutive equations relating macro-strain and macro-stress. Theoretical predictions have shown to be consistent with the experimental results.     

带微裂纹物体的有效断裂韧性

按照等效介质的思想，引进有效表面能密度的概念，建立了带微裂纹物体有效断裂韧性的公式．具体计算了微裂纹群分别平行和垂直于宏观裂纹两种情况的减韧比．表明微裂纹群在产生应力屏蔽（或反屏蔽）效应的同时，也降低了材料的有效断裂韧性，减小了对宏观裂纹的扩展阻力．     

Constitutive relationship of brittle rock subjected to dynamic uniaxial tensile loads with microcrack interaction effects

A micromechanical model is proposed to describe both stable and unstable damage evolution in microcrack-weakened brittle rock material subjected to dynamic uniaxial tensile loads. The basic idea of the present model is to classify the constitution relationship of rock material subjected to dynamic uniaxial tensile loads into four stages including some of the stages of linear elasticity, pre-peak nonlinear hardening, rapid stress drop, and strain softening, and to investigate their corresponding micromechanical damage mechanisms individually. Special attention is paid to the transition from structure rearrangements on microscale to the macroscopic inelastic strain, to the transition from distribution damage to localization of damage and the transition from homogeneous deformation to localization of deformation. The influence of all microcracks with different sizes and orientations are introduced into the constitutive relation by using the statistical average method. Effects of microcrack interaction on the complete stress-strain relation as well as the localization of damage for microcrack-weakened brittle rock material are analyzed by using effective medium method. Each microcrack is assumed to be embedded in an approximate effective medium that is weakened by uniformly distributed microcracks of the statistically-averaged length depending on the actual damage state. The elastic moduli of the approximate effective medium can be determined by using the dilute distribution method. Micromechanical kinetic equations for stable and unstable growth characterizing the ‘process domains’ of active microcracks are taken into account. These ‘process domains’ together with ‘open microcrack domains’ completely determine the integration domains of ensemble averaged constitutive equations relating macro-strain and macro-stress. Theoretical predictions have shown to consistent with the experimental results.     

Modified model of macro–microcrack interaction

The general asymptotic solution of macrocrack interaction with an arbitrary field of microcracks is modified to the case where microcracks are located around a main crack. A comparison with the solution for a semi-infinite crack is discussed. The shielding-amplification zones are identified in terms of the distance from the microcrack to the main crack of finite size.     

A micro–macro method for predicting the shear strength of brittle rock under compressive loading

Microcracks have great significance for shear strength of brittle rock in compression. A major challenge of this area is to establish the correlation of microcracks and macroscopic shear strength. A new micro–macro method is presented to predict the shear strength of brittle rock in compression. This method incorporates the microcrack model suggested by Ashby, Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion and a crack-strain relation. This crack–strain relation is presented to link the crack growth and axial strain by combining the micro and macro definitions from rock damage. The shear strength and stress–strain relationship of Jinping marble are theoretically investigated in detail. The rationality of this suggested method is verified by using the experimental results founded on Jinping marble. Effects of the initial microcrack size, friction coefficient and confining pressure on internal friction angle, cohesion, and shear strength are also discussed.     

Microstructure damage related to stress–strain curve for grain composites

Mathematical model of micro-heterogeneous medium with random deformation and strength properties of microstructure is developed assuming that the tensor of macroscopic deformations is known for the structure. Green–Somigliana tensor is used to obtain the formulas for random stress distribution in microstructure elements. The probability of the stress exceeding the ultimate strength in an element determines the probability of fracture in this element and the relative micro-damage. The correlation functions of stochastic microstructure ultimate strength condition are calculated for various types of stress. Normal distribution is used to calculate the damage. The distribution density can be adjusted through the stress moments to the fourth order.Micro-fractions change the composite’s macro modules of elasticity. Therefore, changes the relationship between stress and strain. Setting an increment step on the macro-strain axis, the stress–strain curve is plotted taking into account changes in composite properties. Stress–strain curves are obtained for different types of load.The increase of the factor of safety corresponds with the reduction of microstructure damage permitted in the design. Critical microstructure damage also depends on the dispersion of the microstructure properties. It is shown that the microstructure properties of composite significantly influence the behavior of materials under load and the shape of stress–strain curve. Findings are compared with experiment data.     

主裂纹与微裂纹相互作用问题的有效数值计算方法

提出了平面弹性介质中主裂纹与微裂纹相互作用问题的有效数值计算 方法. 通过把适于单一裂纹的Bueckner原理扩充到含有多裂纹的一般体系，将原问题分解 为承受远处载荷不含裂纹的均匀问题，和在远处不承受载荷但在裂纹面上承受面力的多裂纹 问题. 于是，以应力强度因子作为参量的问题可以通过考虑后者(多裂纹问题)来解决，而 利用提出的杂交位移不连续法，这种多裂纹问题是容易数值求解的. 列举 Cai和 Faber为评价主裂纹与微裂纹相互作用问题的近似方法而列举的算例，说明 该数值方法对分析平面弹性介质中主裂纹与微裂纹相互作用问题既简单又非常有效.     

Dynamic damage constitutive relation of mesoscopic heterogenous brittle rock under rotation of principal stress axes

A micro-mechanics-based model is developed to investigate microcrack damage mechanism of four stages of brittle rock under rotation of the principal stress axes. They consist of linear elastic, non-linear hardening, rapid stress drop and strain softening. The frictional sliding crack model is applied to analyze microcracks nucleation, propagation and coalescence. The strain energy density factor approach is applied to determine the critical condition of microcrack nucleation, propagation and coalescence. The inelastic strain increments are formulated within the framework of thermodynamics with internal variables. Rotation of principal stress axes affect the dynamic damage constitutive relationship and the failure strength of brittle rock.     

Influence of microcracks on thermal fracture of macrocrack

This work is concerned with the influence of microcracks on the fracture stability of a macrocrack in a uniform field of heat flux. Evaluated are the macrocrack tip stress intensity factors for plane problems of thermoelasticity. Several distributions of microcracks with varying location and orientation are examined; they could either enhance or suppress the onset of macrocrack growth. The microcracks are one order of magnitude shorter than the macrocrack such that the individual effects of the microcracks can be obtained by superposition.     

Triaxial compressive behavior of rock with mesoscopic heterogenous behavior: Strain energy density factor approach

The strain energy density factor approach is used in conjunction with a micromechanics model to investigate the condition and direction of shear failure for brittle rock subjected to triaxial compression. Moderate confinement in addition to localized deformation and damage are considered. Quantified are the effects of the various geometric and load parameters that involve the interaction of microcrack, friction and the confining pressure such that the path of the wing crack is taken into account. The influence of all microcracks with different orientations are introduced into the constitutive relation. The closed-form solution for the complete stress–strain relation of rock containing microcracks is obtained. It is shown that the complete stress–strain relationship includes linear, nonlinear hardening, rapid stress drop and strain softening effects. The theoretical results show that deviation of the direction of wing cracks from the line of the pre-existing crack decreases with increasing confinement pressure and friction coefficient. Theoretical predictions and experimental results show good agreement.     

Further investigation of interaction between interface macrocrack and parallel microcracks in bimaterial anisotropic solids

In this paper, with the aid of superimposing technique and the Pseudo Traction Method (PTM), the interaction problem between an interface macrocrack and parallel microcracks in the process zone in bimaterial anisotropic solids is reduced to a system of integral equations. After the integral equations are solved numerically, a conservation law among three kinds ofJ-integrals is obtained which are induced from the interface macrocrack tip, the microcrack and the remote field, respectively. This conservation law reveals that the microcrack shielding effect in such materials could be considered as the redistribution of the remoteJ-integral. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Doctorate Foundation of Xi'an Jiaotong University     

Thermal fracture of macrocrack with closure as influenced by microcracks

The fracture stability of macrocracks under uniform heat flux is analyzed to include the effect of a system of microcracks. The interaction of cracks leads to full or partial closure of crack surfaces. The boundary problem is stated and a solution is obtained. The domains where microcracks are closed and/or affect partial closing of the macrocrack are found. Evaluated is the macrocrack tip stress intensity factor accounting for closure.     

Interaction of microcracks with a macrocrack yielded in a narrow strip

Plastic zone growth of collinear cracks has had a longstanding interest in ductile fracture. This work further considers yield zone growth in an isotropic, homogeneous elastic–perfectly plastic infinite plate containing a macrocrack with several neighboring microcracks. Normal loading is considered at distances far away from the cracks. The strip yield is adopted where the plastic zone is assumed to be confined to two narrow strips extending from the ends of a finite length crack while the microcracks are assumed to be elastic. The plastic zone length and crack opening displacement are found from asymptotic solution and compared with finite element solution.     

Estimate of effective elastic moduli with microcrack interaction effects

A method is developed for estimating the effects of microdefect interaction on the effective elastic properties of heterogeneous solids. An effective medium is defined to calculate the global effective elastic moduli of brittle materials weakened by distributed microcracks. Each microcrack is assumed to be embedded in an effective medium, the compliance of which is obtained from the dilute concentration method without accounting for interaction. The present scheme requires no iteration; it can account for microcrack interaction with sufficient accuracy. Analytical solutions are given for several two- and three-dimension problems with and without anisotropy.     

Damage and self-similarity in fracture

Consider applications of damage mechanics to material failure. The damage variable introduced in damage mechanics quantifies the deviation of a brittle solid from linear elasticity. An analogy between the metastable behavior of a stressed brittle solid and the metastable behavior of a superheated liquid is established. The nucleation of microcracks is analogous to the nucleation of bubbles in the superheated liquid. In this paper we have applied damage mechanics to four problems. The first is the instantaneous application of a constant stress to a brittle solid. The results are verified by applying them to studies of the rupture of chipboard and fiberglass panels. We then obtain a solution for the evolution of damage after the instantaneous application of a constant strain. It is shown that the subsequent stress relaxation can reproduce the modified Omori’s law for the temporal decay of aftershocks following an earthquake. Obtained also are the solutions for application of constant rates of stress and strain. A fundamental question is the cause of the time delay associated with damage and microcracks. It is argued that the microcracks themselves cause random fluctuations similar to the thermal fluctuations associated with phase changes.     

Modelling of quasi-brittle behaviour: a discrete approach coupling anisotropic damage growth and frictional sliding

The paper provides development of the model of anisotropic damage by microcracking proposed by Bargellini et al. 2006. This model is based on a discrete approach, which introduces a finite set of microcrack densities associated with fixed directions. This approach avoids inconveniences encountered when using a single second order tensor damage variable D (non uniqueness of the free energy) and strain decomposition into positive and negative parts (spurious dissipation at crack closure). Frictional sliding on closed microcracks is introduced as an additional dissipative mechanism; it is represented by a second order sliding variable in each damage direction. Corresponding sliding criteria and non-associated sliding evolution laws, formulated in the strain space for the model coherence, permit to account for hysteretic phenomena. Unilateral effect is taken into account; Young's and shear moduli are correctly restored at microcrack closure. The crucial requirements of continuity of the energy and of stress–strain response are ensured through relevant conditions on parameters and sliding variables values at opening-closure. The discrete approach, associated with some hypotheses concerning damage evolution, permits to couple damage and dissipative sliding. The pertinence of the proposed theory is illustrated by simulating first elastic properties at constant damage, then by considering a specific loading path involving both damage and friction evolutions.     

A simple method for calculating interaction of numerous microcracks and its applications

The effects of microcrack interaction on the failure behavior of materials present one problem of considerable interest in micromechanics, which has been extensively argued but has not been resolved as yet. In the present paper, a simple and effective method is presented based on the concept of the effective field to analyze the interaction of microcracks of a large number or of a high density. To determine the stress intensity factors of a microcrack embedded in a solid containing numerous or even countless microcracks, the solid is divided into two regions. The interaction of microcracks in a circular or elliptical region around the considered microcrack is calculated directly by using Kachanov’s micromechanics method, while the influence of all other microcracks is reflected by modifying the stress applied in the far field. Both the cases of tensile and compressive loading are considered. This simplified scheme may yield an estimate for stress intensity factors of satisfactory accuracy, and therefore provide a potential tool for elucidating some phenomena of material failure associated with microcracking. As two of its various promising applications, the above scheme is employed to investigate the size effects of material strength due to stochastic distribution of interacting microcracks and to calculate the effective elastic moduli of elastic solids containing distributed microcracks. Some conventional micromechanics methods for estimating the effective moduli of microcracked materials are evaluated by comparing with the numerical results. Only two-dimensional problems have been considered here, though the three-dimensional extension of the present method is of greater interest.     

Modelling of mechanical behaviour of damageable particulate composites

A simple discrete structural model has been developed [V.V. Moshev, L.A. Golotina, Non-linear mechanical models for particulate elastometric composites III. Macrocrack initiation from randomly scattered microdamages, Ukrainian Polymer Journal 4(1-2) (1995) 70–84.] for particular composites; it is capable of describing the entire life-cycle of the material from its virgin state through microdamage accumulation to macrofailure. The model geometry corresponds to chain-like cross-sections tied in series where each cross-section represents two clamps interconnected in parallel by a number of elastic links. In extension, some links become ruptured in a random manner reflecting microdamage accumulation which tends to enhance longitudinal stiffness nonuniformity. A stage is reached, when the specimen looses its longitudinal elastic stability. Sudden rupture occurs at the most vulnerable location. The first version of the model was developed for a set of material parameters that were chosen arbitrarily. The phenomena of damage accumulation and macrocrack formation were well represented qualitatively. Examination of random structures of particulate composites and application of a physical discretization approach [V.V. Moshev, O.C. Garishin, Physical discretization approach to evaluation of elastic moduli of highly filled granular composites, Int. J. Solids and Structures 30 (17) (1993) 2347–2355.], however, have suggested the possibility to a further refinement of the model with more realistic structural features. The objective of this work is to provide such a refinement.     

Three-dimensional fractal analysis of concrete fracture at the meso-level

The fracture process in concrete-like materials cannot be properly modelled in an Euclidean framework, due to its complex morphology at the micro- and meso-level. The inherent flaws interact through a multi-scale process, leading to self-affine fracture surfaces. Moreover, the self-organized network of microcracks displays fractal properties prior to the formation of the final fracture surface. At the same time, due to the presence of pores and voids, the stress-carrying cross section is a rarefied fractal domain, even from the beginning of the loading process. A new experimental equipment has been developed which allows the entire fracture surface, or any plane cross section, to be digitised and analysed. This represents an important progress with respect to the study of one-dimensional profiles. In this paper, the three-dimensional algorithms for evaluating the fractal dimension of invasive surfaces and lacunar sections are described. The invasive fractal character of the fracture surfaces is confirmed. Moreover, the lacunar fractal character of the stress-carrying cross sections, a priori assumed by Carpinteri [A. Carpinteri, Mechanics of Materials 18 (1994) 259–266], is now proven experimentally.