Fracture simulation of viscoelastic polymers by the phase-field method

The phase-field model has been employed for fracture analysis over the last decade. One of the main advantages is that the fracture evolution does not depend on any explicit criterion. Good agreement is obtained by comparing the results of simulations and experiments. Most elastomers exhibit both elastic and viscous behavior simultaneously, which yields rate-dependent properties for both the mechanical and fracture responses. In this contribution, a viscoelastic rheological model based on Reese and Govindjee (Int J Solids Struct 35:3455-3482, 1998) is coupled to phase-field modeling to investigate rate-dependent fracture within elastomers. The elastic strain energy potential supposed to evolve fracture is provided by both the equilibrium and non-equilibrium branches. The fracture mechanism is characterized by a volumetric-isochoric split, which specifies a varying driving force in the case of tensile or compressive deformation. Representative numerical examples are studied and related findings and potential perspectives are summarized to close the paper.