Determinação de curvas de sensibilidade ao entalhe para materiais quase frágeis pelo método de elementos discretos

Abstract

The use of polymer materials is well established in engineering for various applications. Polymer materials with quasi-brittle behavior employed for thermal insulation and in the structures of constructions. The determination of notch sensitivity curves for these materials is essential for the safe development and application of projects. In this study, the Discrete Element Method (DEM) used to analyze and validate a methodology for obtaining notch sensitivity curves for Necuron 651 and EPS 1F materials. DEM allows the simulation of tensile tests, variations in geometry, and material characteristics computationally. Experimental tensile test curves of the proposed materials used to calibrate the model. Subsequently, notch sensitivity curves obtained through tensile tests on rectangular specimens with and without notches. The influence of increased internal defects on the behavior of EPS 1F under the effect of stress concentrators is also analyzed. The results show that the computational model can satisfactorily represent the behavior of quasi-brittle materials under the influence of stress concentrators. Necuron 651 is notch-sensitive up to the D/W ratio of 0.4, while EPS 1F exhibits predominantly notch-insensitive behavior throughout the simulations. Keywords: Discrete Element Method; Notch Sensitivity; Necuron 651; EPS 1F; Quasi-Brittle Materials.