A coupled damage-viscoplasticity model for the analysis of localisation and size effects

A coupled damage-viscoplasticity model is presented for the analysis of localisation and size effects. On one hand, viscosity helps to avoid mesh sensitivity because of the introduction of a length scale in the model and, on the other hand, enables to represent size effects. Size effects were analysed by means of three-point bending tests. Correlation between the fracture energy parameter measured experimentally and the density fracture energy modelling parameter is discussed. It has been shown that the dependence of nominal strength and fracture energy on size is determined by the ligament length in comparison with the width of the fracture process zone.