A cohesive formulation of fracture is taken as a basis for the simulation of processes of com- bined tension-shear damage and mixed-mode fracture in specimens subjected to dynamic loading. We ac- count explicitly for microcracking, the development of macroscopic cracks…
A cohesive formulation of fracture is taken as a basis for the simulation of processes of com- bined tension-shear damage and mixed-mode fracture in specimens subjected to dynamic loading. We ac- count explicitly for microcracking, the development of macroscopic cracks and inertia, and the effective dy- namic behavior of the material is predicted as an outcome of the calculations. In particular, a shear-tension damage coupling arises as a direct consequence of slanted microcrack formation in the process zone. The par- ticular configuration contemplated in this study is the three point bend beam with a precrack shifted from the central cross section, leading to asymmetrical loading conditions and the development of a mixed-mode proc- ess zone. The model is able to capture closely the experimentally observed fracture patterns and crack exten- sion histories, as a function of pre-crack geometry and loading conditions. In particular, it correctly accounts for the competition beetween crack-growth and nucleation mechanisms.