Mechanics of damage processes in series and in parallel: a conceptual framework

A conceptual framework for damage processes in materials is presented. In this framework, the mechanics of damage processes in materials is investigated. These processes are categorized into either damage processes described in terms of stiffness degradation or damage processes described in terms of cross-sectional area reduction. Furthermore, the damage processes are visualized to occur as sequences either in series or in parallel. Schematic diagrams are used to illustrate these processes in a similar way to what is done with elastic springs and electric circuits. Different kinds of combinations and interactions of the damage processes are illustrated with various examples. The generalization to three-dimensional states of deformation and damage is also presented. This work is currently limited to linear elastic materials. The concepts presented in this work could be linked to homogenization methods. It is hoped that this work will lay the groundwork to open new areas of research in damage mechanics.