Non-local effects on dynamic damage accumulation in brittle solids

This paper presents a non-local analysis of the dynamic damage accumulation processes in brittle solids. A non-local formulation of a microcrack-based continuum damage model is developed and implemented into a transient dynam ic finite element computer code. The code is then applied to the study of t he damage accumulation process in a concrete plate with a central hole and subjected to the action of a step tensile pulse applied at opposite edges o f the plate. Several finite element discretizations are used to examine the mesh size effect. Comparisons between calculated results based on local an d non-local formulations are made and non-local effects are discussed. Copy right (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.