Modeling Cracking in Quasi-Brittle Materials Using Isotropic Damage Mechanics

T. Gasch [1], A. Ansell [1],
[1] KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
Published in 2016

An extension of the Solid Mechanics interface in COMSOL Multiphysics® is presented to analyze localized deformations of quasi-brittle materials, for example cracking in concrete. This is achieved by implementing an isotropic damage mechanics constitutive law, which is combined with both a local and a non-local regularization technique to ensure mesh objectivity. The implementation is made using equation based modelling and modification of built-in features. To facilitate easier use of the model, a custom user interface is constructed using the Physics Builder. Lastly, the implemented model is validated using examples of both plain and reinforced concrete, with two examples taken form the literature. Overall the simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental observations.