Matrix-free phase-field modeling of fracture in micromechanical testing simulations of inelastic materials

Resolving steep damage gradients across diffuse cracks in the phase-field modeling of fracture favors the use of high-order finite elements, for which matrix-free methods can provide superior performance and scalability.

Here, we implement the Peric & Dettmer constitutive framework for visco-elastoplastic materials in an open source solid mechanics library supporting matrix-free operators for high-order finite elements with p-multigrid preconditioning on GPUs.

We introduce a rheological fracture element assembled in series so that inelastic and fracture properties can appear to affect each other only at homogenization length scales.

Numerical simulations of tensile and compressive tests are conducted for synthetic particle-matrix microstructures on an El Capitan high performance computing prototype.

Results are shown to reproduce characteristic inelastic responses and crack propagation patterns.