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MS-21 Computational Modelling of Fracture in Brittle and Quasi-brittle Materials

Chengbin Du, Hohai University
Peter Grassl, University of Glasgow
Shouyan Jiang, Hohai University
Lukasz Kacmarczyk, University of Glasgow
Iulia Mihai, Cardiff University

Predicting the mechanical failure of materials and structures remains one of the most important and urgent challenges in engineering. Materials, such as fibre reinforced composites, concrete, graphite, rock, stiff soils, exhibit a strongly size-dependent response during fracture which ranges from cohesive for small structures to almost ideally brittle for large structures. These materials are known to be quasi-brittle with a nonlinear fracture process zone. For a material-specific range of structural sizes, it is essential to model the nonlinear fracture process zone, since it strongly influences the load capacity of structures, which show a size effect on nominal strength, which neither follows the strength theory nor linear elastic fracture mechanics. For large structures, approaches based on linear elastic fracture mechanics are suitable.

This mini-symposium seeks contributions on the computational modelling of fracture in brittle and quasi-brittle materials. Contributions are expected on the development of models using approaches, such as cohesive crack, crack band, gradient, nonlocal, configurational mechanics, XFEM, SBFEM, strong discontinuities, phase field, peridynamics and SPH. Studies at multiple scales, which aim to provide more insight into the fracture processes, as well as supporting experiments, are also welcome.