Finite Fracture Mechanics from the macro- to the micro-scale. Comparison with the Phase Field model

In the Phase Field methodology there is a length parameter related to the size of the damage region, which is proportional to the Irwin length. In this work, we apply the Phase Field methodology to the analysis of fracture at the micro-scale in brittle materials, studying the role of this length parameter when the size of the specimen is of the order of the Irwin length. We compare the conclusions obtained with the ones previously presented using Finite Fracture Mechanics. Two different schemes are used, a staggered and a monolithic scheme.