Notch Sensitivity Analysis of Quasi-Brittle Polymeric Materials Using the Discrete Element Method

Resumo

The application of polymeric materials is well established in engineering across various fields. Many of these materials exhibit behavior classified as quasi-brittle. The determination of notch sensitivity curves is essential to ensure safety in the design of projects based on such materials. In this study, the Discrete Element Method (DEM) is employed to analyze Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), enabling the representation of both global behavior and the fracture of the material. The model was calibrated using experimental curves obtained from tensile tests. The influence of increasing internal defects on the behavior of EPS under the effect of stress raisers is also investigated. The results indicate that DEM adequately represents the behavior of quasi-brittle materials. Furthermore, the simulations showed that EPS exhibits a predominantly notch-insensitive behavior.