A phase field model for rate-independent crack propagation: Robust algorithmic implementation based on operator splits

The computational modeling of failure mechanisms in solids due to fracture based on sharp crack discontinuities suffers in situations with complex crack topologies. This can be overcome by a diffusive crack modeling based on the introduction of a crack phase field. Following our recent work [C. Miehe, F. Welschinger, M. Hofacker, Thermodynamically-consistent phase field models of fracture: Variational principles and multi-field fe...