Fracture mechanics

You can do the following to model fracture mechanics with Abaqus/CAE:

  • Create a seam crack that defines an edge or a face with overlapping nodes that can separate during an analysis.

  • Use contour integral estimates to study the onset of cracking in quasi-static problems; however, a contour integral estimate does not predict how a crack will propagate. You can compute contour integrals for two- or three-dimensional models.

  • Use the extended finite element method (XFEM) to study the initiation and propagation of a crack along an arbitrary, solution-dependent path without needing to remesh your model. XFEM is available only for three-dimensional solid and planar models and orphan meshes.

  • Use the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT) to study the initiation and propagation of a crack along a known crack surface.

  • Use the Crack Manager to create and manage your cracks.


In this section:

Seam cracks
Using contour integrals to model fracture mechanics
Using the extended finite element method to model fracture mechanics
Using the virtual crack closure technique to model crack propagation
Managing cracks