Error estimation and adaptive spatial discretisation for quasi-brittle failure

Accuracy of a finite element solution depends greatly on the spatial discretisation of the problem domain. The more refined/enriched discretisation provides better accuracy but also requires more computational cost. For modelling of quasi-brittle failure, the process zone where failure takes place can be very small, thus it is very cost effective to apply an adaptive spatial discretisation scheme. In this research, two failure models have been put under investigation. Based on a residual-type error estimate, in the form of either energy norm or the quantity of interest, discretisation factors and various adaptive discretisation schemes have been examined.Civil Engineering and Geoscience