Evolving Material Discontinuities: Numerical Modeling by the Continuum Strong Discontinuity Approach (CSDA)

Abstract

The CSDA, as a numerical tool for modeling evolving displacement discontinuities in material failure problems, is addressed. Its specific features are: a) the explicit use of a (regularized) strong discontinuity kinematics, b) the introduction of the material failure constitutive model in a continuum (stress-strain) format, and c) the determination of the onset and propagation of the discontinuity by means of constitutive model material bifurcation analysis. Numerical applications to concrete failure and soil collapse problems are presented.