TY - JOUR

T1 - Finite element modelling of refractories fracture process zone with gradient enhanced damage models

AU - Ali, Zain

AU - Jin, Shengli

AU - Gruber, Dietmar

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors

PY - 2024/3/21

Y1 - 2024/3/21

N2 - This study investigates the numerical simulation of fracture behaviour in quasi-brittle materials like magnesia spinel refractories using the Gradient-Enhanced Damage (GED) model. It focuses on the complex modelling of these materials non-linear responses and compares conventional and variant GED models through a wedge splitting test. The results demonstrate that all GED models show a good fit to experimental data. However, the conventional GED model falls short in accurately depicting the fracture process zone. In contrast, the localizing GED model more accurately represents the fracture process zone, limiting spurious damage distribution, but requires finer meshing, elevating computational demands. The stress-based variant reduces spurious damage but is less effective comparatively. The study also assesses the role of heterogeneous strength distribution in replicating realistic crack patterns as observed in experiments.

AB - This study investigates the numerical simulation of fracture behaviour in quasi-brittle materials like magnesia spinel refractories using the Gradient-Enhanced Damage (GED) model. It focuses on the complex modelling of these materials non-linear responses and compares conventional and variant GED models through a wedge splitting test. The results demonstrate that all GED models show a good fit to experimental data. However, the conventional GED model falls short in accurately depicting the fracture process zone. In contrast, the localizing GED model more accurately represents the fracture process zone, limiting spurious damage distribution, but requires finer meshing, elevating computational demands. The stress-based variant reduces spurious damage but is less effective comparatively. The study also assesses the role of heterogeneous strength distribution in replicating realistic crack patterns as observed in experiments.

KW - Finite element analysis

KW - Fracture process zone

KW - Gradient-enhanced damage model

KW - Quasi-brittle materials

KW - Wedge splitting test

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85188510582&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.finel.2024.104151

DO - 10.1016/j.finel.2024.104151

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85188510582

VL - 234.2024

JO - Finite elements in analysis and design

JF - Finite elements in analysis and design

SN - 0168-874X

IS - July

M1 - 104151

ER -