An homogenization-based nonlocal damage model for brittle materials and applications

A micromechanics-based constitutive damage model with clear physical grounds and few parameters is presented, in which the Ponte-Castaneda and Willis estimate (PCW estimate) is adopted and applied to solid matrix weaken by penny-shaped microcracks. The basic idea is to integrate the homogenization procedure into the standard thermodynamics framework. An energy release rate-based damage criterion is proposed in which the interaction effects between different cracks families are involved. The proposed constitutive model is then extended to an orientation-based nonlocal version. Finally, this model has been implemented into a finite element code and the numerical results obtained for 2D problems show its predictive capacity and mesh independent characteristics.