DYNAMIC CRACK PROPAGATION USING A COMBINED MOLECULAR DYNAMICS/EXTENDED FINITE ELEMENT APPROACH

作者：Aubertin Pascal; Rethore Julien; de Borst Rene^*

来源：International Journal for Multiscale Computational Engineering, 2010, 8(2): 221-235.

• multiscale methods
• molecular dynamics
• extended finite element method
• fracture
• crack propagation

A method is presented for simulating dynamic crack propagation using a coupled molecular dynamics/extended finite element method. Molecular dynamics is used at the crack tip while the extended finite element method naturally models the crack in the wake of the tip as a traction-free discontinuity. After recalling the basic molecular dynamics equations, the discretization of the continuum and the traction-free discontinuity via the extended finite element method, and the zonal coupling method between both domains, two-dimensional computations of dynamic fracture are presented, including a discussion on how to move and/or expand the zone in which molecular dynamics is used upon crack propagation.

• 出版日期2010