Diffuse interface approach to brittle fracture

V. I. Marconi; E. A. Jagla

doi:10.1103/physreve.71.036110

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arXiv · cond-mat/0401431

Diffuse interface approach to brittle fracture

V. I. Marconi·E. A. Jagla

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Abstract

We present a continuum model for the propagation of cracks and fractures in brittle materials. The components of the strain tensor $ε$ are the fundamental variables. The evolution equations are based on a free energy that reduces to that of linear elasticity for small $ε$, and accounts for cracks through energy saturation at large values of $ε$. We regularize the model by including terms dependent on gradients of $ε$ in the free energy. No additional fields others than the strain tensor $ε$ are introduced, and then the whole dynamics is perfectly defined. We validate the model in controlled cases, and present a couple of non trivial applications.

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BibTeX RIS

V. I. Marconi, E. A. Jagla. 2005-02-02. Diffuse interface approach to brittle fracture. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.71.036110

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