A mechanism-based gradient damage model for metallic fracture

A new gradient-based formulation for predicting fracture in elastic–plastic solids is presented. Damage captured by means of a phase field model that considers both the elastic and plastic works as driving forces fracture. Material deformation characterised mechanism-based strain gradient constitutive model. This non-local plastic-damage numerically implemented used to simulate several paradigmatic boundary value problems. The case studies aim at shedding light into role length scales. It found gradients twofold. When dealing with sharp defects like cracks, elevate local stresses facilitate However, presence non-sharp failure driven localisation flow, which delayed due additional work hardening introduced gradients.