A phase-field model for low-cycle fatigue of brittle materials

• A phase-field model for low-cycle fatigue of brittle materials is proposed. • The model introduces a fatigue degradation function, which modifies the fracture toughness . • The model can reproduce total-life and defect-tolerant approaches to fatigue. • It can handle complex geometries, loading conditions, and crack patterns without ad hoc additions to the theory. A phenomenological phase-field model for the formation and growth of fatigue...