A new approach for physically nonlinear analysis of continuum damage mechanics problems using the generalized/extended finite element method with global-local enrichment

The Generalized/Extended Finite Element Method (G/XFEM) is a numerical technique suitable to solve a wide range of continuum mechanics problems. It applies hierarchical nodal enrichment strategies within the Finite Element Method framework, allowing more flexibility in the numerical solution of boundary value problems (BVP) and being a powerful mesh-reduced method that takes advantage of the state-of-art of the standard FEM. One of the enrichment mechanisms is the so-called global-local enrichment (G/XFEMGL), in which the solution of a refined local BVP generates enrichment functions for the global domain. In this context, this work presents a new two-scale nonlinear strategy, associated with the G/XFEMGL, able to solve the material nonlinear analysis of continuum damage mechanics problems, in which quasi-brittle media degrade and soften, using a versatile mesh refinement strategy. A comprehensive description of the proposed strategy is registered and the aforementioned computational technique is validated throughout a set of plane stress numerical experiments that employ smeared crack constitutive model formulations, with well-known stress-strain laws. The results indicate that the implemented methodology could be used to solve a reasonable range of problems with considerable flexibility.