A generalized phase-field cohesive zone model (μPF-CZM) for fracture

Abstract

In this work a generalized phase-field cohesive zone model ($\mu$ PF-CZM) is proposed within the framework of the unified phase-field theory for brittle and cohesive fracture. With the introduction of an extra dissipation function for the crack driving force, in addition to the geometric function for the phase-field regularization and the degradation function for the constitutive relation, theoretical and application scopes of the original PF-CZM are broadened greatly. These characteristic functions are analytically determined from the conditions for the length scale insensitivity and a non-shrinking crack band in a universal, optimal and rationalized manner, for almost any specific traction–separation law. In particular, with an optimal geometric function, the crack irreversibility can be considered without affecting the target traction–separation softening law. Not only concave softening behavior but also high-order cohesive traction, both being limitations of the previous works, can be properly dealt with. The global fracture responses are insensitive not only to the phase-field length scale but also to the traction order parameter, though the crack bandwidth might be affected by both. Despite the loss of variational consistency in general cases, the resulting $\mu$ PF-CZM is still thermodynamically consistent. Moreover, the existing numerical implementation can be adopted straightforwardly with minor modifications. Representative numerical examples are presented to validate the proposed $\mu$ PF-CZM and to demonstrate its capabilities in capturing brittle and cohesive fracture with general softening behavior. The insensitivity to both the phase-field length scale and the traction order parameter is also sufficiently verified.