Scalar, vectorial and tensorial damage parameters from the mesoscopic background

Abstract

In the mesoscopic theory a distribution of different crack sizes and crack orientations is introduced. A scalar damage parameter, a second order damage tensor and a vectorial damage parameter are defined in terms of this distribution function. As an example of a constitutive quantity the free energy density is given as a function of the damage tensor. This equation is reduced in the uniaxial case to a function of the damage vector and in case of a special geometry to a function of the scalar damage parameter.