ABSTRACT
Damage mechanics is an approach to predicting failure in a material or structure by representing load induced damage through the deterioration of material properties in a constitutive equation. Damage mechanics can be considered as an alternative to the better known strength of materials and fracture mechanics approaches for predicting failure. In order to predict failure, a failure criterion relevant to the mechanism of failure needs to be identified. Two different forms of progressive damage modelling have generally been used with adhesive joints: cohesive zone modelling, where the failure is localised along a plane, and continuum damage modelling (CDM), where the failure can occur throughout the material. CDM has been the subject of extensive research over the last few decades and models have been developed for fatigue, creep, brittle and ductile damage. A general framework for damage mechanics was provided by Lemaitre and Desmorat based on the thermodynamics of irreversible processes.
