Phase-field material point method for dynamic brittle fracture with isotropic and anisotropic surface energy

Abstract: A novel phase field material point method is introduced for robust simulation of dynamic fracture in elastic media considering the most general case of anisotropic surface energy. Anisotropy is explicitly introduced through a properly defined crack density functional. The particular case of impact driven fracture is treated by employing a discrete field approach within the material point method setting. In this, the equations of motion and phase field governing equations are solved independently for each discrete field using a predictor-corrector algorithm. Contact at the interface is resolved through frictional contact conditions. The proposed method is verified using analytical predictions. The influence of surface energy anisotropy and loading conditions on the resulting crack paths is assessed through a set of benchmark problems. Comparisons are made with the standard Phase Field Finite Element Method and experimental observations.