Fragment size density estimator for shrinkage-induced fracture based on a physics-informed neural network

Abstract: This paper presents a neural network (NN)-based solver for an integro-differential equation that models shrinkage-induced fragmentation. The proposed method directly maps input parameters to the corresponding probability density function without numerically solving the governing equation, thereby significantly reducing computational costs. Specifically, it enables efficient evaluation of the density function in Monte Carlo simulations while maintaining accuracy comparable to or even exceeding that of conventional finite difference schemes. Validatation on synthetic data demonstrates both the method's computational efficiency and predictive reliability. This study establishes a foundation for the data-driven inverse analysis of fragmentation and suggests the potential for extending the framework beyond pre-specified model structures.