A smeared-crack model is proposed in which the stress after cracking is not only a function
of the crack strain (softening function), but also of the crack strain rate. This rate dependence
is shown to introduce an internal length scale into initial value problems. As a result,
solutions of initial value problems that involve smeared cracking remain well posed. The
width of the localization zone. where high strain rates are present, is proven to be
independent of the finite element discretization. Convergence upon mesh refinement is also …

A smeared-crack model is proposcd in which the stress after cracking is not only a function
of the crack strain (softening function), but also of the crack strain rate. This rate dependence
is shown to introduce an internal lcngth scale into initial value problems. As a result,
solutions of initial value problems that involve smeared cracking remain well posed. The
width of the localization zone, where high strain rates are present, is proven to be
independent of the finite element discretization. Convergence upon mesh refinement is also …