Validation of a hybrid multi-phase field model for fracture of wood

Fracture mechanics simulations are crucial for understanding the failure of wood, where the microstructure strongly influences mechanical properties. In particular, complex crack topologies present a challenge for which not many modeling approaches are suited. Therefore, a hybrid multi-phase field model, supporting cohesive failure in orthotropic materials with favorable fracture planes, is used. We show that the model agrees well with the investigated experiments, with tensile strengths and fracture energy release rates in a reasonable range for wood. Those findings allow the application of this model to more complex situations like wooden boards with multiple knots and complex fiber courses and show that the model’s input parameters are not purely numerical values but rather material parameters. •A generally applicable and flexible algorithm is proposed for solving the phase field problem.•The proposed phase field model reproduces wood tests very well.•A minimum required value for the scale factor of the structural tensor was determined.