A theory of smeared continuum damage mechanics

This paper considers smeared continuum damage mechanics based on the equivalent elliptical crack representation of a local damage. This approach provides a means of utilizing the crack energies derived in fracture mechanics, and of identifying the local damage state from local stress and strain information. The strain energy equivalence principle is used to derive the effective continuum elastic properties of a damaged solid in terms of the undamaged elastic properties and a scalar damage variable. The scalar damage variable is used to develop a consistent damage evolution equation. The combination of representing local damage as an equivalent elliptical crack, the determination of effective elastic properties using a strain energy equivalence principle, and a consistent damage evolution equation yields a simple, yet powerful local approach for continuum damage analysis