Gradient plasticity and damage models: a short comparison

The paper briefly reviews a set of existing higher-order gradient models. Attention is focused on the gradient plasticity formulation with a Laplacian-dependent yield condition and the gradient damage theory with an additional averaging equation for an equivalent strain measure. Their regularization properties and discretization requirements are discussed. A one-dimensional tensile bar localization benchmark is used to confront the features of the models. An application of the models in a two-dimensional wave propagation problem is then presented. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.