NONLINEAR ONE-DIMENSIONAL CONTINUUM DAMAGE THEORY

The background of Non-Linear Continuum Damage Mechanics is presented f or the case of one-dimensional tensile stresses. A brief critical anal ysis of the existing methods of non-linear damage models construction is given. A new approach to the damage theory development based on the ''separability'' principle is suggested. The condition of non-lineari ty and the criterion of long-term failure are formulated. The non-line ar damage constitutive equations for static and cyclic loading, allowi ng one to take into account the loading history, are proposed on this basis. Within the framework of the approach suggested the problems of total and residual lifetime calculation under additional loads and par tial unloads are solved. The predictions are compared with experimenta l data obtained using some particular hear-resistant materials. Copyri ght (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.