Blasting induced fracturing and stress field evolution at fracture tips

The loading mechanisms involved in blasting are assumed to consist of a stress wave propagation and a gas pressurization. Both mechanisms play significant roles in the resulting fragmentation. During the process of fracture, each mechanism contributes to the dynamic evolution of the state of stress in the material and, in this way, each influences the propagation of the load induced fractures and the resulting fragmentation. The problem is analyzed numerically for a material with spatially varying material properties using the Dynamic Lattice Network Model. In the numerical study, the effects of material damage and induced stress fields ahead of a moving crack on the overall fracture behavior is considered.