Cohesive zone modeling and calibration for mode I tearing of large ductile plates

This paper focuses on extensive ductile crack growth by modeling a mode I fracture experiment. Solution of this problem, requires structural scale plate/shell finite which cannot resolve the details of the fracture process. Thus, a cohesive zone model, which accounts for the dependence of the cohesive tearing energy on the crack advance is employed. The steady-state cohesive energy is informed by the detailed analysis of necking localization and shear failure, performed with the Gurson model. The structural scale model reveals the partition of the tearing energy into the cohesive energy and the additional plastic dissipation occurring outside the cohesive zone.