High-order phase-field modelling of fracture in thin-shells

Fracture vs buckling on a cylindrical thin shell

Competition between fracture propagation and buckling in a brittle cylindrical shell clamped in its ends under torsion. The figure shows the curves delimiting the transition between failure states according to geometrical and material parameters and the angle and length of the initial fracture. In particular, an initial fracture β=45º has been chosen. As shown in the figure below, it is possible to follow the transition from a failure due to fracture propagation to buckling. These states are achieved by modulating the dimensionless relation Gc/(tE) from 10^-7 to 10^-2 (from bottom to top).

Connected pipes pulling

The geometrical details of this example are in [1], unlike in that original work here we perform large deformations.

1. F. Amiri, D. Millán, Y. Shen, T. Rabczuk and M. Arroyo. "Phase-field modelling of fracture in linear thin shells". Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics, Vol. 69, pp. 102–109, 2014. [Abstract from the publisher, preprint].