Author(s)

A.P.S. Selvadurai & K. Sepehr

Abstract

The paper examines the problem of the interaction between a rigid indentor and a brittle solid which can experience fragmentation during the indentation process. The analysis is achieved through the modification of an existing distinct element code, which incorporates viscoplastic effects in the medium and relatively simple criteria for fragmentation. The procedures are applied to investigate the scale effects in such indentation processes. 1. Introduction A characteristic feature of brittle solids is that they are susceptible to fragmentation during the application of loads. This transition from an initially continuum region to a discontinuum can be most conveniently handled through the application of discrete element techniques. This paper examin

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