Fracture models for solid bodies, based on a linear scale parameter

The authors of the article considered a fracture model with a linear parameter (LP) associated with the thickness of the physical cut and the interaction layer (IL) on its continuation. With a zero value of the LP, the fracture model takes a form of a mathematical cut. The initial state of the body corresponds to the initial free binding energy, which is assumed to be negative. By the means of thermomechanical analysis of the fracturing processes, the authors established universal representation of the surface energy, which is valid for both physical and mathematical cuts. In the case of a physical cut, the surface energy is expressed as a product of multiplication of the LP value by the change in the specific free binding energy of the IL. It is called the energy product (EP). Using the proposed formulation, the authors considered the effect of decreasing LP on the critical state of samples of finite dimensions. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.