Formulation of a three-dimensional cohesive zone model for application to a finite element algorithm

A formulation is presented herein for implementing a cohesive zone model to a nonlinear finite element algorithm. The cohesive zone model may be of ar bitrary type so long as it can be constructed in an incremental form in tim e. Problems that can then be solved using this algorithm include a broad ar ray of material types, including: elastic, elastoplastic, viscoplastic, and viscoelastic. Multiple cracks may be modeled by this methodology, and any and all can be evolving simultaneously, with crack interaction included exp licitly in the formulation. Example problems are included to demonstrate th e efficacy of the algorithm. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights rese rved.