An implicit erosion algorithm for the numerical simulation of metallic and composite materials submitted to high strain rate.

In this paper, we present a general consistent numerical formulation able to take into account strain rate, damage and thermal effects of the material behaviour. A thermomechanical implicit approach for element erosion to model material failure is also presented. This approach can be applied both to ductile fracture for metals, relying on a continuum damage mechanics approach, coupled to different fracture criteria, as well as composite material failure described with either a failure criterion or a progressive damage model. The numerical models will be illustrated by different quasi-static and high strain rate applications for both metallic alloys and composite materials. All these physical phenomena have been included in an implicit dynamic object-oriented finite element code (implemented at LTAS-MN²L, University of Liège, Belgium) named Metafor [1].