The combined plastic and discrete fracture deformation framework for finite‐discrete element methods

• Published in: International journal for numerical methods in engineering Vol. 121; no. 5; pp. 1020 - 1035
• Main Authors: Rougier, Esteban, Munjiza, Antonio, Lei, Zhou, Chau, Viet Tuan, Knight, Earl Eugene, Hunter, Abigail, Srinivasan, Gowri
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 15.03.2020; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Brittle materials; combined finite‐discrete element method; Computer simulation; Coordinates; Decomposition; Discrete element method; Embedded systems; Fragmentation; hyperelastic; multiplicative decomposition; Plastic deformation; Plastic flow; plastic flow rule; plasticity
• ISSN: 0029-5981; 1097-0207
• DOI: 10.1002/nme.6255

Summary The combined finite‐discrete element method (FDEM) was originally developed for fracture and fragmentation of brittle materials, more specifically for cementitious and rock‐like materials. In this work, a combination of a discrete crack and plastic deformation has been combined and applied to FDEM simulation of fracture. The deformation is described using a FDEM‐specific mechanistic approach with plastic deformation being formulated in material embedded coordinate systems leading to multiplicative decomposition and plastic flow, that is, resolved in stretch space; this is combined with the FDEM fracture and fragmentation criteria. The result and main novelty of the present work is a robust framework for simulation of large strain solid deformation combined with a multiplicative decomposition‐based model that simultaneously involves elasticity, plasticity, and fracture.