Teilprojekt P10 – Configurational Fracture/Surface Mechanics
Teilprojekt P10 - Configurational Fracture/Surface Mechanics
(Third Party Funds Group – Sub project)
Overall project: Fracture across Scales: Integrating Mechanics, Materials Science, Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics (FRASCAL)
Project leader: ,
Project members: ,
Start date: 2. January 2019
End date: 30. June 2023
Acronym: GRK2423 - P10
Funding source: DFG / Graduiertenkolleg (GRK)
URL: https://www.frascal.research.fau.eu/home/research/p-10-configurational-fracture-surface-mechanics/
Abstract
In a continuum the tendency of pre-existing cracks to propagate through
the ambient material is assessed based on the established concept of
configurational forces. In practise crack propagation is
however prominently affected by the presence and properties of either
surfaces and/or interfaces in the material. Here materials exposed to
various surface treatments are mentioned, whereby effects of surface
tension and crack extension can compete. Likewise, surface tension in
inclusion-matrix interfaces can often not be neglected. In a continuum
setting the energetics of surfaces/interfaces is captured by separate
thermodynamic potentials. Surface potentials in general result in
noticeable additions to configurational mechanics. This is
particularly true in the realm of fracture mechanics, however its
comprehensive theoretical/computational analysis is still lacking.
The project aims in a systematic account of the pertinent
surface/interface thermodynamics within the framework of geometrically
nonlinear configurational fracture mechanics. The focus is especially on
a finite element treatment, i.e. the Material Force Method [6]. The
computational consideration of thermodynamic potentials, such as the
free energy, that are distributed within surfaces/interfaces is at the
same time scientifically challenging and technologically relevant when
cracks and their kinetics are studied.