A strain-rate cohesive fracture model of rocks based on Lennard-Jones potential

To characterize the dynamic mechanical response of rocks during the initiation and propagation of cracks at a high strain rate, a strain-rate cohesive fracture model is established based on the Lennard-Jones potential and multi-scale model of rocks. The newly proposed model explains the micro-mechanism of strain rate effect from the molecular scale and establishes the potential energy function and force function. First, it is proposed that the strain rate effect arises due to the change of microscopic properties of molecules at a high strain rate. Thereafter, the potential energy function and force function of the strain-rate cohesive fracture model corresponding to the dynamic tensile and shear processes are established. Finally, the accuracy of the strain-rate cohesive fracture model is verified through numerical simulations. The results indicate that the strain-rate cohesive fracture model can accurately simulate the dynamic tensile failure and shear failure of rocks at different strain rates. The dynamic tensile strength, dynamic compressive strength, and dynamic tensile fracture energy obtained by numerical simulations and laboratory tests are similar.

Automated summary

A strain-rate cohesive fracture model based on the Lennard-Jones potential and multi-scale model of rocks is established to characterize the dynamic mechanical response of rocks during crack initiation and propagation at high strain rates. The model explains the micro-mechanism of strain rate effect from the molecular scale and is verified to accurately simulate dynamic tensile and shear failures of rocks at different strain rates through numerical simulations. The results show that the model can predict dynamic tensile strength, dynamic compressive strength, and dynamic tensile fracture energy similar to laboratory tests.