MULTIFIELD DESCRIPTION OF MICROCRACKED CONTINUA - A LOCAL MODEL

In the present paper, a continuum model used to describe brittle micro cracked bodies is proposed. The configuration of the body is represent ed by two fields: the displacement field and an appropriate approximat ion of the microcrack density. The evolution of the latter field is re gulated by the balance of the actions of the microcracks on each other . Moreover, the introduction of a damage entropy flux in the Clausius- Duhem inequality allows one to obtain appropriate criteria of damage g rowth directly from balance equations. The mathematical structure of t he model thus obtained is different from those based on internal varia ble schemes and allows one to overcome some of their theoretical short comings. A simple example, although limited to an elastostatic case, a llows one to recognize the basic difference between the model presente d here and the models with internal variables, and to underline the po tentialities of the proposed approach.