A Fourier transformation-based method for gradient-enhanced modeling of fatigue

A key limitation of the most constitutive models that reproduce a degradation of quasi-brittle materials is that they generally do not address issues related to fatigue. One reason is the huge computational costs to resolve each load cycle on the structural level. The goal of this paper is the development of a temporal integration scheme, which significantly increases the computational efficiency of the finite element method in comparison to conventional temporal integrations. The essential constituent of the fatigue model is an implicit gradient-enhanced formulation of the damage rate. The evolution of the field variables is computed as a multiscale Fourier series in time. On a microchronological scale attributed to single cycles, the initial boundary value problem is approximated by linear BVPs with respect to the Fourier coefficients. Using the adaptive cycle jump concept, the obtained damage rates are transferred to a coarser macrochronological scale associated with the duration of material deterioration. The performance of the developed method is hence improved due to an efficient numerical treatment of the microchronological problem in combination with the cycle jump technique on the macrochronological scale. Validation examples demonstrate the convergence of the obtained solutions to the reference simulations while significantly reducing the computational costs.