A multi-scale based cohesive zone model for the analysis of thickness scaling effect in fiber bridging

A cohesive zone model (CZM) is proposed to assess the thickness scaling effect associated with fiber bridging during fracture. The CZM was developed through a multi-scale simulation approach and utilizes an embedded cell model of the Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) that explicitly accounts for the bridging bundles on the fracture plane. In particular, micromechanical simulations of failure were carried out, for varying arms thickness, in order to...