Phase-field model for brittle fracture based on the inner-element edge-based smoothed finite method (IES-FEM)

Abstract In this work, a phase field fracture model based on the Inner-based Edge-based Smoothed Finite Element Method (IES-FEM) is implemented to simulate the brittle fracture in ABAQUS through subroutine UEL. The specific application of IES-FEM on phase field method (PFM) is explained. Through the single-edge notched tension/shear test and symmetric double notched tensile test, the differences of effects on numerical simulation of different length scale parameters, different mesh size and different displacement increment were discussed between IES-FEM-PFM and FEM-PFM. The coupled governing equations were solved alternately by decoupling the phase and displacement field. The results showed that the maximum reaction force of the load–displacement curve of IES-FEM-PFM is always smaller than that calculated by FEM-PFM, which was closer to the results of monolithic scheme. The stress and phase field variable at the same step time were also smaller than those of FEM-PFM, which is closer to the real stress field. After that some complex models were implemented to simulate the crack growth path in the phase field fracture model of IES-FEM. The results showed that IES-FEM did not change the characteristics of the phase field fracture model and the applicability and accuracy of IES-FEM in the phase field fracture model was verified effectively.