Prediction of plane strain fracture of AHSS sheets with post-initiation softening

In this investigation, the three-parameter Modified Mohr–Coulomb (MMC) fracture model and the determination of the material parameters are briefly described. The formulation of the post-initiation behavior is proposed by defining both the explicit softening law and the incremental damage evolution law. As opposed to the existing attempts to simulate slant fracture with material weakening before crack formation, softening is assumed to occur only in the post-initiation range. The justification of this assumption can be provided by the interrupted fracture tests, for example, Spencer et al. (2002). Element deletion with a gradual loss of strength is used to simulate crack propagation after fracture initiation. The main emphasis of the paper is the numerical prediction of slant fracture which is almost always observed in thin sheets. For that purpose, VUMAT subroutines of ABAQUS are coded with post-initiation behavior for both shell elements and plane strain elements. Fracture of flat-grooved tensile specimens cut from advanced high strength steel (AHSS) sheets are simulated by 2D plane strain element and shell element models. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.