The RTG aims to improve understanding of fracture in brittle heterogeneous materials by developing simulation methods able to capture the multiscale nature of failure. With i) its rooting in different scientific disciplines, ii) its focus on the influence of heterogeneities on fracture at different length and time scales as well as iii) its integration of highly specialised approaches into a “holistic” concept, the RTG addresses a truly challenging cross-sectional topic in mechanics of materials. Although various simulation approaches describing fracture exist for particular types of materials and specific time and length scales, an integrated and overarching approach that is able to capture fracture processes in different – and in particular heterogeneous – materials at various length and time resolutions is still lacking. Thus, we propose an RTG consisting of interdisciplinary experts from mechanics, materials science, mathematics, chemistry, and physics that will develop the necessary methodology to investigate the mechanisms underlying brittle fracture and how they are influenced by heterogeneities in various materials. The insights obtained together with the methodological framework will allow tailoring and optimising materials against fracture. The RTG will cover a representative spectrum of brittle materials and their composites, together with granular and porous materials. We will study these at length and time scales relevant to science and engineering, ranging from sub-atomic via atomic and molecular over mesoscale to macroscopic dimensions. Our modelling approaches and simulation tools are based on concepts from quantum mechanics, molecular mechanics, mesoscopic approaches, and continuum mechanics. These will be integrated into an overall framework which will represent an important step towards a virtual laboratory eventually complementing and minimising extensive and expensive experimental testing of materials and components. Within the RTG, young researchers under the supervision of experienced PAs will perform cutting-edge research on challenging scientific aspects of fracture. The RTG will foster synergies in research and advanced education and is intended to become a key element in FAU‘s interdisciplinary research areas “New Materials and Processes” and “Modelling–Simulation–Optimisation”.
Research projects
Current projects
Teilprojekt P4 - Fragmentation in Large Scale DEM Simulations
(Third Party Funds Group – Sub project)
Term: 2. January 2019 - 31. December 2027
Funding source: DFG / Graduiertenkolleg (GRK)
URL: https://www.frascal.research.fau.eu/home/research/p-4-fragmentation-in-large-scale-dem-simulations/
During the past decade, the technique of Discrete Element Simulations (DEM) made great progress and by now it is generally acknowledged as a reliable tool for bulk solids description in a variety of applications. There is a number of models available in the literature to describe fragmentation of particles in DEM simulations, however, by now the predictive power of these models is still poor, especially when dealing with fragmentation probabilities and fragment size distribution. Current approaches use purely spherical models and there is still a gap in predictive fragmentation models for non-spherical particles.
The aim of the present research project is to develop a particle model which allows for both realistic modelling of fragmentation in DEM simulations and at the same time highly efficient large scale simulations.
Teilprojekt P9 - Adaptive Dynamic Fracture Simulation
(Third Party Funds Group – Sub project)
Term: 2. January 2019 - 31. December 2027
Funding source: DFG / Graduiertenkolleg (GRK)
URL: https://www.frascal.research.fau.eu/home/research/p-9-adaptive-dynamic-fracture-simulation/
In the simulation of continuum mechanical problems of materials with heterogeneities caused e.g. by a grained structure on a smaller scale compared to the overall dimension of the system, or by the propagation of discontinuities like cracks, the spatial meshes for finite element simulations are typically consisting of coarse elements to save computational costs in regions where less deformation is expected, as well as finely discretised areas to be able to resolve discontinuities and small scale phenomena in an accurate way. For transient problems, spatial mesh adaption has been the topic of intensive research and many strategies are available, which refine or coarsen the spatial mesh according to different criteria. However, the standard is to use the same time step for all degrees of freedom and adaptive time step controls are usually applied to the complete system.
The aim of this project is to investigate the kinetics of heterogeneous, e.g. cracked material, in several steps by developing suitable combinations of spatial and temporal mesh adaption strategies.
Fracture across Scales: Integrating Mechanics, Materials Science, Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics (FRASCAL)
(Third Party Funds Group – Overall project)
Funding source: DFG / Graduiertenkolleg (GRK)
URL: https://www.frascal.research.fau.eu/
The RTG aims to improve understanding of fracture in brittle heterogeneous materials by developing simulation methods able to capture the multiscale nature of failure. With i) its rooting in different scientific disciplines, ii) its focus on the influence of heterogeneities on fracture at different length and time scales as well as iii) its integration of highly specialised approaches into a “holistic” concept, the RTG addresses a truly challenging cross-sectional topic in mechanics of materials. Although various simulation approaches describing fracture exist for particular types of materials and specific time and length scales, an integrated and overarching approach that is able to capture fracture processes in different – and in particular heterogeneous – materials at various length and time resolutions is still lacking. Thus, we propose an RTG consisting of interdisciplinary experts from mechanics, materials science, mathematics, chemistry, and physics that will develop the necessary methodology to investigate the mechanisms underlying brittle fracture and how they are influenced by heterogeneities in various materials. The insights obtained together with the methodological framework will allow tailoring and optimising materials against fracture. The RTG will cover a representative spectrum of brittle materials and their composites, together with granular and porous materials. We will study these at length and time scales relevant to science and engineering, ranging from sub-atomic via atomic and molecular over mesoscale to macroscopic dimensions. Our modelling approaches and simulation tools are based on concepts from quantum mechanics, molecular mechanics, mesoscopic approaches, and continuum mechanics. These will be integrated into an overall framework which will represent an important step towards a virtual laboratory eventually complementing and minimising extensive and expensive experimental testing of materials and components. Within the RTG, young researchers under the supervision of experienced PAs will perform cutting-edge research on challenging scientific aspects of fracture. The RTG will foster synergies in research and advanced education and is intended to become a key element in FAU‘s interdisciplinary research areas “New Materials and Processes” and “Modelling–Simulation–Optimisation”.
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2024
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