Numerical and Experimental Validation of a New Damage Initiation Criterion

Most commercial finite element software packages, like Abaqus, have a built-in coupled damage model where a damage evolution needs to be defined in terms of a single fracture energy value for all stress states. The Johnson-Cook criterion has been modified to be Lode parameter dependent and this Modified Johnson-Cook (MJC) criterion is used as a Damage Initiation Surface (DIS) in combination with the built-in Abaqus ductile damage model. An exponential damage evolution law has been used with a single fracture energy value. Ultimately, the simulated force-displacement curves are compared with experiments to validate the MJC criterion. 7 out of 9 fracture experiments were predicted accurately. The limitations and accuracy of the failure predictions of the newly developed damage initiation criterion will be discussed shortly.