ORNL Computational Mechanics Seminar 08/20

Title: Non-Local Models for Dynamic Fracture Simulations (Phase-Field and Peridynamics) Speaker: Prof.-Dr.-Ing. Kerstin Weinberg, University of Siegen Time: August 20, 2026, 2-3PM ET. Location: Online, link can be found here: https://computmech.ornl.gov/seminars.html

Abstract

Recently, non-local methods have gained attention for computing fracturing solids. Two such methods are the phase-field fracture approach and peridy-namic modeling. While, in reality, cracks in a solid are sharp two-dimensional hypersurfaces, the phase-field fracture approach regularizes the material discontinuities with smooth transitions between broken and unbroken states.

Otherwise, it relies on the classical Boltzmann continuum model. In contrast, peridynamics describes the material in a non-local form with a similar regularizing effect on cracks. One significant issue in the simulation of dynamic fracture and spallation is the correct handling of elastic waves, such as the pressure and tension waves inside a body induced by dynamic boundary conditions from an impact or impulse. This contribution investigates different peridynamic and phase-field fracture formulations. By studying longitudinal pressure waves inside an elastic body, this work compares the propagation and reflection of linear and non-linear waves at cracks in different peridynamic models. With numerical examples, the efficiency of the chosen methods for dynamic crack propagation and spallation is illustrated