Characterization of compressive fracture strain based on bilinear strain paths

•An innovative compressive fracture characterization method is proposed using bilinear strain paths: pre-tension and compression.•A damage index approach in strain-space is utilized for the calculation of the compressive fracture under linear and bilinear paths.•A ductile fracture model capable of predicting the cut-off region is selected for the ductile fracture loci of the bilinear paths and implemented into the numerical simulation with different pre-tensile strain levels.•The verification of the proposed characterization method is performed by comparing experimental data and simulation results for fractured specimen shapes and load-displacement curves. This study proposes the compressive fracture characterization method using bilinear strain paths: pre-tension and compression. Compressive ductile fracture exhibits extremely large strain, which has been regarded as being difficult to be measured. Large deformation under compressive loading makes the shape of a specimen barreled and changes the stress triaxiality rapidly. Due to these complicated and large strains, compressive fracture strain can be considered to be within the so-called cut-off region where no fracture occurs. In order to enable compression tests to be easier, an approach that can lower the range of fracture strain is needed. Uniaxial tensile deformation is a strain path that induces the growth of voids inside ductile materials and leads to ductility reduction. Ductile materials subjected to pre-tensile loading before compressive loading can show the premature compressive fracture. A ductile fracture model capable of predicting the cut-off region is selected for ductile fracture loci of the bilinear strain paths and implemented into the numerical simulation with different pre-tensile strain levels. The verification of the proposed characterization method is performed by comparing experimental data and simulation results for fractured specimen shapes and load-displacement curves.