A multiscale model for fracturing solids

Paper in proceeding, 2017

Fracturing solids can be studied by means of computational homogenization, whereby simulations are performed on Statistical Volume Elements (SVEs). However, pathological SVE size dependence and macroscale mesh size dependence of the effective simulated response are two major difficulties. These difficulties have been successfully addressed in the literature, but existing schemes generally require explicit identification and tracking of a dominating microscale localization zone. To circumvent the need to track the microscale localization zone, we propose and validate a scheme where the macroscopic localized zone is approximated as a strong discontinuity by means of XFEM.