Damage Models

In peridynamics, a material breaks when the bonds connecting its points break. A damage model is the rule that decides when a bond breaks. These settings are applied per block, in the Blocks panel.

Setting	What it controls
Damage name	A label for this damage definition, so you can tell several apart.
Damage model name	The type of damage rule to use.
Critical stretch	How far a bond can stretch before it breaks. Pull too hard and it snaps.
Critical energy	How much energy a bond can absorb before it breaks.
Interblock damage energy	Energy needed to break the bonds between two blocks (useful where different materials meet).
Only tension	Allow damage only when the bond is being pulled apart, not squeezed.
Stabilization type	The numerical method used to keep the calculation stable.
Detached nodes check	Whether the solver checks for points that have already become detached.
Thickness	The thickness used in the damage calculations.
Hourglass coefficient	A factor that damps a numerical artefact; usually leave at the default.

Tip: most models only need one damage definition, with the default rule. Raise the critical stretch or critical energy to make the material tougher, or lower them to make it more brittle.