US EPA

6879715 

Journal Article 

Monte Carlo simulation of complex cohesive fracture in random heterogeneous quasi-brittle materials: A 3D study 

Su, XT; Yang, ZJ; Liu, GH; , 

2010 

Yes 

International Journal of Solids and Structures
ISSN: 0020-7683 

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD 

OXFORD 

2336-2345 

10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2010.04.031 

WOS:000279489100015 

In a recent publication (Yang et al., 2009. Monte Carlo simulation of complex cohesive fracture in random heterogeneous quasi-brittle materials. Int. J. Solids Struct. 46 (17) 3222-3234), we developed a finite element method capable of modelling complex two-dimensional (2D) crack propagation in quasi-brittle materials considering random heterogeneous fracture properties. The present study extends the method to model three-dimensional (3D) problems. First, 3D cohesive elements are inserted into the initial mesh of solid elements to model potential crack surfaces by a specially designed, flexible and efficient algorithm and corresponding computer program. The softening constitutive laws of the cohesive elements are modelled by spatially-varying 3D Weibull random fields. Monte Carlo simulations are then carried out to obtain statistical information of structural load-carrying capacity. A concrete cube under uniaxial tension was analysed as an example. It was found that as the 2D heterogeneous model, the 3D model predicted realistic, complicated fracture processes and load-carrying capacity of little mesh-dependence. Increasing heterogeneity in terms of the variance in the tensile strength random fields resulted in lower mean and higher standard deviation of peak loads. Due to constraint effects and larger areas of unsmooth, non-planar fracture surfaces, 3D modelling resulted in higher mean and lower standard deviation of peak loads than 2D modelling. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.