Modelling of crack propagation in rocks under SHPB impacts using a damage method

Abstract

Abstract Rock dynamic fracture is a complex problem and has received considerable attention during the last few decades. In this paper, tensile crack softening failure criterion is used to study impact‐induced crack initiation and propagation in rocks. In order to examine applicability of the criterion, under realistic loading and boundary conditions, three boundary conditions were analyzed in details and an impacting experiment using single cleavage semicircle compression (SCSC) specimens had been successfully simulated. A good agreement was achieved between the simulation and experimental results. It was concluded that the boundary conditions play an important role in rock dynamic fracturing. When a stress wave propagates from a material with low wave impedance to a material of high wave impedance, the compression wave is partially reflected back and the process of fast cracking is suppressed. In addition, with the change of the tensile strength and the fracture energy, the crack initiation modes can be divided into four types.