COUPLED PLASTIC-DAMAGED MODEL

A constitutive model that couples plasticity and damage is presented. The model is thermodynamically consistent and comes from a generalizat ion of classical plasticity theory anti isotropic damage theory of Kac hanov. Coupling between plasticity and damage is achieved through a si multaneous solution of the plastic and the damage problem. After a des cription of the model, a numerical algorithm for the integration of th e resulting constitutive equations is presented. It is an Euler Backwa rd type of algorithm that is particularly suitable to solve plain stre ss non-linear problems with a 2D finite element program. The consisten t stiffness matrix is also derived. The paper is completed with some a pplication examples that show that the model presented accurately repr oduces the behaviour of elastic-plastic-damaged materials.