MeshCut2DFractureUserObject

XFEM mesh cutter for 2D models that defines cuts with amesh and uses fracture integrals to determine growth

Overview

This class is used to define an evolving cutting plane for 2D XFEM simulations based on a mesh that defines the initial crack and uses fracture integrals or maximum stress to grow that crack. It (1) reads in a mesh describing the crack surface or uses nucleated cracks, (2) uses the mesh to do initial cutting of 2D elements, and (3) grows the mesh incrementally based on fracture domain integrals to allow nonplanar crack growth based on propagation directions determined by fracture integrals. A maximum stress criterion can also be used to drive crack growth.

The crack propagates if the failure criterion is met, given by:

where and are the mode I and II stress intensity factors provided by the fracture integral and the material property is given defined in the input file by "k_critical". The crack growth direction is given by the direction the maximized the crack-tip hoop stress, given by Equation 5 in Jiang et al. (2020). The growth increment is a user provided input given in the defined by "growth_increment". The fracture integrals and are obtained from the Interaction Integral vectorpostprocessor specified in the input file by "ki_vectorpostprocessor" and "kii_vectorpostprocessor". Defaults for "ki_vectorpostprocessor" and "kii_vectorpostprocessor" use the names produced by the DomainIntegralAction which is the standard way to set-up the Interaction Integral.

Near a free surface, the integration volumes of the rings used to compute the InteractionIntegral will intersect the surface, leading to a reduction in the fracture integral values. This can lead to cracks becoming unable to farther propagate as they approach free surfaces. For these cases, a maximum stress criterion computed using CrackFrontNonlocalStress vectorpostprocessor can be used for crack growth using an additional failure criterion given by:

where is a critcal stress normal to the crack face specified by "stress_threshold" and is the average scalar stress measure normal to the crack face specified by "stress_vectorpostprocessor". The crack front normal stress will only extend the crack in the direction it is already going and will not cause the crack to curve.

Quasistatic behavior is assumed, and an iterative approach is taken to repeatedly solve the equilibrium equations, evaluate the fracture integrals, and as indicated by the failure criterion, incrementally advance the crack until the failure criterion is no longer met. To iteratively repeat the solution in this manner for each step, "max_xfem_update" must be set in the Executioner block, and should be large enough to allow a sufficient number of iterations for crack growth to cease during each timestep.

Example Input Syntax

The following input file provides an example of a MeshCut2DFractureUserObject that uses fracture integrals to propagate the crack. In this example, crack growth stops before the crack grows through the right boundary due to the fracture integral q-function intersecting the boundary. A stress based crack growth criterion is used in conjunction with the fracture integrals by uncommenting the two lines containing stress_vectorpostprocessor and stress_threshold in the MeshCut2DFractureUserObject. The stress based growth criterion causes the crack to continue to grow through the right boundary, as expected.

[UserObjects]
  [cut_mesh2]
    type = MeshCut2DFractureUserObject
    mesh_file = make_edge_crack_in.e
    growth_increment = 0.05
    ki_vectorpostprocessor = "II_KI_1"
    kii_vectorpostprocessor = "II_KII_1"
    k_critical = 100
    # stress_vectorpostprocessor = "CrackFrontNonlocalStressVpp"
    # stress_threshold = 120
  []
[]
(modules/xfem/test/tests/mesh_cut_2D_fracture/edge_crack_2d_propagation.i)

Input Parameters

  • growth_incrementLength to grow crack if k>k_critical or stress>stress_threshold

    C++ Type:double

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:Length to grow crack if k>k_critical or stress>stress_threshold

  • mesh_fileMesh file for the XFEM geometric cut; currently only the Exodus type is supported

    C++ Type:MeshFileName

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:Mesh file for the XFEM geometric cut; currently only the Exodus type is supported

Required Parameters

  • blockThe list of blocks (ids or names) that this object will be applied

    C++ Type:std::vector<SubdomainName>

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:The list of blocks (ids or names) that this object will be applied

  • crack_front_definitioncrackFrontDefinitionThe CrackFrontDefinition user object name

    Default:crackFrontDefinition

    C++ Type:UserObjectName

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:The CrackFrontDefinition user object name

  • execute_onXFEM_MARKThe list of flag(s) indicating when this object should be executed. For a description of each flag, see https://mooseframework.inl.gov/source/interfaces/SetupInterface.html.

    Default:XFEM_MARK

    C++ Type:ExecFlagEnum

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Options:XFEM_MARK, FORWARD, ADJOINT, HOMOGENEOUS_FORWARD, ADJOINT_TIMESTEP_BEGIN, ADJOINT_TIMESTEP_END, NONE, INITIAL, LINEAR, NONLINEAR_CONVERGENCE, NONLINEAR, POSTCHECK, TIMESTEP_END, TIMESTEP_BEGIN, MULTIAPP_FIXED_POINT_END, MULTIAPP_FIXED_POINT_BEGIN, FINAL, CUSTOM

    Controllable:No

    Description:The list of flag(s) indicating when this object should be executed. For a description of each flag, see https://mooseframework.inl.gov/source/interfaces/SetupInterface.html.

  • heal_alwaysFalseHeal previous cuts at every time step

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:Heal previous cuts at every time step

  • k_criticalCritical fracture toughness.

    C++ Type:double

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:Critical fracture toughness.

  • ki_vectorpostprocessorII_KI_1The name of the vectorpostprocessor that contains KI

    Default:II_KI_1

    C++ Type:VectorPostprocessorName

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:The name of the vectorpostprocessor that contains KI

  • kii_vectorpostprocessorII_KII_1The name of the vectorpostprocessor that contains KII

    Default:II_KII_1

    C++ Type:VectorPostprocessorName

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:The name of the vectorpostprocessor that contains KII

  • nucleate_uoThe MeshCutNucleation UO for nucleating cracks.

    C++ Type:UserObjectName

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:The MeshCutNucleation UO for nucleating cracks.

  • prop_getter_suffixAn optional suffix parameter that can be appended to any attempt to retrieve/get material properties. The suffix will be prepended with a '_' character.

    C++ Type:MaterialPropertyName

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:An optional suffix parameter that can be appended to any attempt to retrieve/get material properties. The suffix will be prepended with a '_' character.

  • stress_thresholdStress threshold for growing crack

    C++ Type:double

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:Stress threshold for growing crack

  • stress_vectorpostprocessorThe name of the vectorpostprocessor that contains crack front stress

    C++ Type:VectorPostprocessorName

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:The name of the vectorpostprocessor that contains crack front stress

  • use_interpolated_stateFalseFor the old and older state use projected material properties interpolated at the quadrature points. To set up projection use the ProjectedStatefulMaterialStorageAction.

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:For the old and older state use projected material properties interpolated at the quadrature points. To set up projection use the ProjectedStatefulMaterialStorageAction.

Optional Parameters

  • allow_duplicate_execution_on_initialFalseIn the case where this UserObject is depended upon by an initial condition, allow it to be executed twice during the initial setup (once before the IC and again after mesh adaptivity (if applicable).

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:In the case where this UserObject is depended upon by an initial condition, allow it to be executed twice during the initial setup (once before the IC and again after mesh adaptivity (if applicable).

  • control_tagsAdds user-defined labels for accessing object parameters via control logic.

    C++ Type:std::vector<std::string>

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:Adds user-defined labels for accessing object parameters via control logic.

  • enableTrueSet the enabled status of the MooseObject.

    Default:True

    C++ Type:bool

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:Yes

    Description:Set the enabled status of the MooseObject.

  • execution_order_group0Execution order groups are executed in increasing order (e.g., the lowest number is executed first). Note that negative group numbers may be used to execute groups before the default (0) group. Please refer to the user object documentation for ordering of user object execution within a group.

    Default:0

    C++ Type:int

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:Execution order groups are executed in increasing order (e.g., the lowest number is executed first). Note that negative group numbers may be used to execute groups before the default (0) group. Please refer to the user object documentation for ordering of user object execution within a group.

  • force_postauxFalseForces the UserObject to be executed in POSTAUX

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:Forces the UserObject to be executed in POSTAUX

  • force_preauxFalseForces the UserObject to be executed in PREAUX

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:Forces the UserObject to be executed in PREAUX

  • force_preicFalseForces the UserObject to be executed in PREIC during initial setup

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:Forces the UserObject to be executed in PREIC during initial setup

  • implicitTrueDetermines whether this object is calculated using an implicit or explicit form

    Default:True

    C++ Type:bool

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:Determines whether this object is calculated using an implicit or explicit form

  • seed0The seed for the master random number generator

    Default:0

    C++ Type:unsigned int

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:The seed for the master random number generator

  • use_displaced_meshFalseWhether or not this object should use the displaced mesh for computation. Note that in the case this is true but no displacements are provided in the Mesh block the undisplaced mesh will still be used.

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:Whether or not this object should use the displaced mesh for computation. Note that in the case this is true but no displacements are provided in the Mesh block the undisplaced mesh will still be used.

Advanced Parameters

Input Files

References

  1. Wen Jiang, Benjamin W. Spencer, and John E. Dolbow. Ceramic nuclear fuel fracture modeling with the extended finite element method. Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 223:106713, 2020. URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013794419307568, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfracmech.2019.106713.[BibTeX]