Strength effects of microfracture on granular microstructures evaluated by FDEM direct numerical simulation

We present results of an investigation into the mechanisms of damage in granular microstructures conducted through direct numerical simulation with the combined Finite-Discrete Element Method (FDEM). Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images of a pressed crystalline powder are directly meshed, resolving grain-grain interfaces. Semi-ductile microfracture is simulated by prescribing a combination of inter-granular brittle fracture and intra-granular grain plasticity. Pristine (undamaged) and damaged microstructures are simulated in uniaxial compression tests and compared to experimental uniaxial compression measurements from literature. The simulation results show that the observed microscale mechanisms of damage (microfracture predominantly around and sometimes through grains and crack associated pore-growth) can well explain degradation of strength observed in the laboratory measurements. A method of tracing grain boundaries from SEM images is described and applied to meshing of a microstructure damaged through cyclic thermal loading. By calibrating the simulations to the damaged and undamaged experimental measurements, micro-mechanical/structural insight is gained into the mechanisms of damage for the material. The results show that the SEM-based micro-characterization of damage can explain the degradation in effective strength observed in the testing and can be accurately modeled using the presented methods.