The combined plastic and discrete fracture deformation framework for finite‐discrete element methods

Summary The combined finite‐discrete element method (FDEM) was originally developed for fracture and fragmentation of brittle materials, more specifically for cementitious and rock‐like materials. In this work, a combination of a discrete crack and plastic deformation has been combined and applied to FDEM simulation of fracture. The deformation is described using a FDEM‐specific mechanistic approach with plastic deformation being formulated in material embedded coordinate systems leading to multiplicative decomposition and plastic flow, that is, resolved in stretch space; this is combined with the FDEM fracture and fragmentation criteria. The result and main novelty of the present work is a robust framework for simulation of large strain solid deformation combined with a multiplicative decomposition‐based model that simultaneously involves elasticity, plasticity, and fracture.