A micromechanics-informed phase field model for brittle fracture accounting for unilateral constraint

Abstract We propose a new direction-dependent model for the unilateral constraint involved in phase field approach to fracture and also continuous damage mechanics models. The construction of this is informed by micromechanical modeling through homogenization theory, where representative volume element (RVE) has planar crack center. proposed made closely match response RVE, including frictionless self-contact condition. This allows identify with tension–compression split obtained from cracked microstructures. One important feature that unlike most other models, material degradation consistently determined without artificial assumptions or ad hoc parameters no physical interpretation, thus, more realistic resulted. With standard tests such as uniaxial loadings, three-point bending, simple shear, through-crack tests, predicts reasonable paths. Moreover, RVE benchmark, gives rise an accurate stress–strain curve under shear loads, than existing