ABSTRACT
Cyclic fatigue is triggered by the growth and coalescence of microcracks. The modeling of such a process has to be based on the physical concepts of damage and fracture mechanics. The dynamic modeling capabilities of PFC (Particle F low Code) allow in conjunction with the incorporation of bond models and corresponding strength reduction algorithms the simulation of crack growth under cyclic loading. The proposed constitutive model is based on the concept of linear elastic fracture mechanics and is able to reproduce the Paris–Erdogan relation. The paper documents the applied approach, the mathematical background and a simple application, which documents the tensile fracture growth of a notched plate under cyclic tension.
