3D modeling of fracture in brittle isotropic materials using a novel algorithm for the determination of the fracture plane orientation and crack surface area

A user defined material model for simulation of brittle fracture in isotropic materials was implemented into the explicit FE code Abaqus/Explicit. The model uses a methodology for calculating the orientation of the fracture plane in isotropic materials in 3D space using an analytical approach. Knowing the orientation of the fracture plane, the cross-sectional area of the fracture surface can in a hexagonal element can be calculated. Regularization is then achieved using the size of the fracture plane. The model is first tested on single-element tests and then applied to more complex test cases such as a short bar with chevron notch or micromechanical analyses of composite materials. The numerical predictions correlate well with experimental evidence from the literature.

► The orientation of a 3D crack in an isotropic material is calculated analytically.
► Crack propagation is described using a smeared finite element formulation.
► The model was implemented in Abaqus/Explicit and validated against experiments.