Micromechanical analysis of microcrack-induced residual strains in quasi-brittle solids

A three-dimensional micromechanical damage model that enables the simulatio n of mechanical response of microcrack-weakened quasi-brittle solids is pre sented. The occurrence of residual strains is attributed to two reasons, na mely, the release of preexisting residual stresses due to microcracking and the microscopic plastic deformation near crack rips. An approximate scheme is proposed to estimate effects of microcrack interaction on the overall e ffective moduli of a quasi-brittle material subjected to complex loading. ( C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.