A numerical study on the effect of porosity distribution on ductile failure using size-dependent finite element-based representative volume elements

In this work, we use the size-dependent Monchiet-Bonnet porous plasticity model to study the influence of void size distribution on ductile fracture. The size effect implies that the void growth depends on the material intrinsic length scale in addition to the plastic deformation and stress state of the material, and smaller voids grow more slowly than larger voids. Finite element-based representative volume elements (RVEs) are built where each element is given an initial porosity and initial void size according to the specified void size distribution. The RVEs are loaded plastically to fracture under different stress states to study the influence of the void size distribution on ductility. The results show that heterogeneity can trigger a macroscopic failure mode caused by localized plastic flow. The onset of localized plastic flow is sensitive to the material heterogeneity while the stress-strain response up to the point of localization is not.