A numerical framework for simulating progressive failure in composite laminates under high-cycle fatigue loading

In this work, a recently proposed high-cycle fatigue cohesive zone model, which covers crack initiation and propagation with limited input parameters, is embedded in a robust and efficient numerical framework for simulating progressive failure in composite laminates under fatigue loading. The fatigue cohesive zone model is enhanced with an...

A cohesive XFEM model for simulating fatigue crack growth under various load conditions

This study presents calibration and validation of a cohesive extended finite element model for fatigue crack propagation in ductile materials. The approach relies on a separation between plasticity around the crack tip and fatigue crack growth at the crack tip such that the influence of plasticity on fatigue driving forces is predicted. This...

A cohesive XFEM model for simulating fatigue crack growth under mixed-mode loading and overloading

Structures are subjected to cyclic loads that can vary in direction and magnitude, causing constant amplitude mode I simulations to be too simplistic. This study presents a new approach for fatigue crack propagation in ductile materials that can capture mixed-mode loading and overloading. The extended finite element method is used to deal with...

Cohesive zone and interfacial thick level set modeling of the dynamic double cantilever beam test of composite laminate

The mode-I interlaminar fracture toughness of composite laminates under different loading rates can be measured by the double cantilever beam (DCB) test. It is observed from the DCB test of a unidirectional PEEK/carbon composite laminate that as the loading rate increases from quasi-static to dynamic range: (1) delamination crack growth...

Simulation of cusp formation in mode II delamination

On the microlevel, cusps are formed during delamination crack growth under mode II loading conditions. In this work, two different approaches to simulate this process are presented. Firstly a cohesive zone method where cohesive segments are introduced between a pair of neighbouring elements when the traction between those elements exceeds the...

A rate-dependent multi-scale crack model for concrete

A multi-scale numerical approach for modeling cracking in heterogeneous quasi-brittle materials under dynamic loading is presented. In the model, a discontinuous crack model is used at macro-scale to simulate fracture and a gradient-enhanced damage model has been used at meso-scale to simulate diffuse damage. The traction-separation law for the...

A Continuous–Discontinuous Approach to Simulate Heat Transfer in Fractured Media

A macroscopic framework to model heat transfer in materials and composites, subjected to physical degradation, is proposed. The framework employs the partition of unity concept and captures the change from conduction-dominated transfer in the initial continuum state to convection and radiation-dominated transfer in the damaged state. The...

A smooth yield surface based on interpolation of Bézier curves for masonry modelling

A smooth yield surface for the modelling of masonry on mesoscopic scale is presented, using interpolation by second order Bzier curves. The cracked joints are modelled as displacement discontinuities using the partition of unity property of finite element shape functions.