A moving cohesive interface model for brittle fracture propagation

Abstract. In this work, an advanced numerical model, based on the cohesive zone approach and moving mesh technique, is proposed to simulate fracture propagation in quasi-brittle materials. particular, procedure consists of two stages. former one, according inter-element crack approach, once a suitable stress criterion for onset satisfied, boundary, representing segment, selected aligned along direction by using well-known technique. latter one zero-thickness interface element, equipped with traction-separation law, inserted on-the-fly previously order describe nonlinear process. Comparisons available experimental results have highlighted effectiveness reliability model prediction brittle phenomenon.