Finite volume analysis of dynamic fracture phenomena – II. A cohesive zone type methodology

A truly predictive dynamic fracture model would require detailed information about the local fracture process. For instance, recent experimental evidence has conclusively demonstrated that rapid crack propagation (RCP) in brittle polymers such as PMMA is accompanied by the nucleation, growth, interaction and coalescence of microcracks and the advancing macroscopic fracture. Some insights into this phenomenon are offered and a novel computational model of this aspect of dynamic fracture is proposed. The procedure is based upon local material (cohesive) strength considerations. Here, the initial development of such procedures is presented. Application is at this stage restricted to single crack problems so that the effects of various geometrical, but more importantly, cohesive parameters on predicted fractures may be examined. Extension of the cohesive computational procedures of this work to multiple crack problems is proposed to be straightforward and without the need for extensive reconstructing of the computational procedures outlined.