Multiscale damage analysis of engineering structures from material level to structural level: a systematic review
Y.J. Liu, Sun Bin, Tong Guo, Zhaoxia Li
Abstract
Purpose Damage of engineering structures is a nonlinear evolutionary process that spans across both material and structural levels, from mesoscale to macroscale. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of damage analysis methods at both the material and structural levels. Design/methodology/approach This study provides an overview of multiscale damage analysis of engineering structures, including its definition and significance. Current status of damage analysis at both material and structural levels is investigated, by reviewing damage models and prediction methods from single-scale to multiscale perspectives. The discussion of prediction methods includes both model-based simulation approaches and data-driven techniques, emphasizing their roles and applications. Finally, summarize the main findings and discuss potential future research directions in this field. Findings In the material level, damage research primarily focuses on the degradation of material properties at the macroscale using continuum damage mechanics (CDM). In contrast, at the mesoscale, damage research involves analyzing material behavior in the meso-structural domain, focusing on defects like microcracks and void growth. In structural-level damage analysis, the macroscale is typically divided into component and structural scales. The component scale examines damage progression in individual structural elements, such as beams and columns, often using detailed finite element or mesoscale models. The structural scale evaluates the global behavior of the entire structure, typically using simplified models like beam or shell elements. Originality/value To achieve realistic simulations, it is essential to include as many mesoscale details as possible. However, this results in significant computational demands. To balance accuracy and efficiency, multiscale methods are employed. These methods are categorized into hierarchical approaches, where different scales are processed sequentially, and concurrent approaches, where multiple scales are solved simultaneously to capture complex interactions across scales.