Energy-consistent dynamic fracture phase field models: unilateral constraints and finite element simulations

Abstract: Phase field models have emerged as a powerful and flexible framework for simulating complex interface-driven phenomena across a wide range of scientific and engineering applications. In fracture mechanics, the phase field approach--formulated as a gradient flow of the Griffith fracture energy with Ambrosio-Tortorelli regularization--has gained significant attention for its ability to capture complex crack topologies. In this study, we propose a dynamic fracture phase field model (DF-PFM) based on the elastodynamic wave equation. We further extend this framework by incorporating a unilateral contact condition, yielding a refined model suitable for simulating fault rupture under high pressure. For both models, we formally derive energy dissipation identities under mixed boundary conditions, providing insights into the energetic structure of the formulations. To validate the proposed approach, we conduct numerical experiments using linear implicit time discretization and finite element methods. Our simulations demonstrate that the unilateral contact condition is essential for accurately capturing shear-dominated crack propagation and preventing non-physical interpenetration, especially under high-compression loading scenarios relevant to seismic faulting.