A damage mechanics model for beams: a linear damage evolution model

A linear damage evolution model is adopted that is capable of describing the process of damage in a clear phenomenological way. The proposed model is restricted to the description of damage in the Euler Bernoulli beam. Internal thermodynamic variables are introduced through a partitioning of the cross section and on the basis of simplifying assumptions on the damage loading domain. With those assumptions, a description of the distribution of the elastic degradation over a cross section is obtained