A unified variational approach to fracture in heterogeneous materials and composites

A unified variational approach to brittle fracture in the bulk and quasi-brittle delamination along preexisting interfaces is herein proposed, by coupling the phase field approach to brittle fracture and the cohesive zone model. The resulting finite element simulation framework can be used to predict complex crack patterns in laminates involving both interlaminar and translaminar cracks (Fig. 1). Moreover, the extension of the phase field approach to anisotropic materials with orientation-dependent elastic properties and fracture toughness enables the study of the competition between intergranular and transgranular crack growths (Fig. 1).