SolidNetics Product

Fracture Analysis with Peridynamics

Next-generation simulation of crack initiation and propagation—fully in the cloud.

SolidNetics' Fracture Analysis with Peridynamics module brings advanced fracture mechanics to engineers through a powerful but easy-to-use cloud-based workflow. Peridynamics naturally handles discontinuities, making it ideal for modeling crack initiation, crack growth, branching, merging, and complex fracture patterns—all without remeshing or special crack tracking techniques.

Built with an efficient implicit peridynamic solver for quasi-static problems, this tool enables accurate prediction of brittle and quasi-brittle failures under incremental loading. Engineers can study structural integrity, damage evolution, and failure modes with unprecedented clarity and accessibility.

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Fracture Analysis with Peridynamics

Overview

Peridynamics (PD) replaces spatial derivatives with integral formulations, allowing the material to represent cracks and discontinuities naturally. Instead of forcing the user to predefine expected crack paths or remesh at every step, PD inherently supports:

  • Crack nucleation
  • Crack propagation
  • Multi-crack branching
  • Intersection and merging
  • Damage evolution across complex geometries

This makes PD a superior alternative for fracture-related simulations where classical FEM struggles.

SolidNetics delivers all of this through a fully cloud-based experience—no local installation, no compute clusters, and no scripting required.

Peridynamics Overview

Key Features & Capabilities

Implicit Peridynamic Solver for Quasi-Static Problems

  • Solves peridynamic equations using an implicit formulation
  • Ideal for slow or static loading conditions
  • Provides stable, accurate fracture prediction
  • Supports incremental loading, increasing external forces or displacements step-by-step for controlled crack evolution
Peridynamic Solver

Incremental Loading Framework

Loading conditions are applied in increments, allowing:

  • Stepwise crack formation
  • Progressive damage visualization
  • Stable convergence as cracks develop
  • Analysis of load vs. damage evolution trends

Perfect for studying structural degradation over time.

Incremental Loading

Flexible Boundary Conditions

The solver supports:

  • Traction (Neumann) loads on surfaces
  • Displacement (Dirichlet) constraints

These can be applied directly on CAD surfaces with intuitive selection tools.

Boundary Conditions

Predefined Planar Cracks

Users can optionally insert predefined planar cracks anywhere in the domain to study:

  • Crack-front evolution
  • Interaction with natural crack formation
  • Mixed-mode fracture (Modes I, II, III)

This is especially useful for:

  • Defect sensitivity studies
  • Bonding/adhesion assessments
  • Crack growth from manufacturing flaws
Predefined Cracks

Direct CAD Integration

Import geometry using:

  • STL
  • STEP
  • IGES

SolidNetics automatically generates a peridynamic domain suitable for crack simulation—no meshing or cleanup required.

CAD Integration

Powered by High-Performance Cloud Computing

Multi-Processing Engine

The peridynamic solver is optimized for parallel computation, enabling:

  • Large-scale models
  • High-resolution crack prediction
  • Faster incremental loading steps
  • Efficient handling of complex fracture patterns

Runs on powerful cloud compute instances

SolidNetics provides scalable compute resources—so users get performance comparable to HPC clusters, but without managing hardware, queues, or GPU/CPU infrastructure.

Cloud Computing

Why Peridynamics? Why SolidNetics?

Natural treatment of cracks

Peridynamics inherently supports:

  • Spontaneous crack formation
  • Crack branching
  • Crack merging
  • Damage coalescence
  • Interaction of multiple flaws

No remeshing. No enrichment functions. No special crack-tip elements.

Accessible to everyone

Traditional PD codes require:

  • Manual scripting
  • HPC knowledge
  • Specialized solvers
  • Complex data structure management

SolidNetics removes all these barriers with a simple, guided interface and automatic cloud execution.

Project-Based Workflow

A project can contain:

  • Multiple loading scenarios
  • Different initial cracks
  • Varying parameters or horizon sizes
  • Different mesh/point resolutions
Status Monitoring

Track:

  • Increment progress
  • Compute time
  • Damage evolution
  • Run completion

Engineers can compare multiple fracture paths and study failure modes quickly.

Project Workflow

3D Post-Processing for Fracture Visualization

Visualize:

  • Damage fields
  • Crack surfaces and patterns
  • Displacement fields
  • Stress concentrations leading to fracture
  • Incremental crack growth steps

Cloud-based rendering makes visualization possible even on lightweight devices.

Post-Processing

Designed for Ease of Use

The interface is clean, intuitive, and designed so engineers can become productive with minimal training.

Upload CAD model
1. Upload CAD model and set boundaries
Generate mesh
2. Generate mesh on the cloud
Run and visualize
3. Run and visualize online

Applications

This peridynamics-based fracture analysis tool is ideal for evaluating structural performance, identifying crack initiation and propagation, validating mechanical designs, and comparing load cases across a wide range of applications. Engineers can use it for product development, optimization, and early-stage concept assessment with accurate 3D simulation results.

Aerospace & Defence

Automotive

Construction

Manufacturing

Energy

Academic

Try the New Standard in Simulation

Don't let meshing and pre-processing slow you down. Switch to a smarter, cloud-based simulation tool — powered by AI and designed for modern engineering.

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