A new 2D continuous-discontinuous heat conduction model for modeling heat transfer and thermal cracking in quasi-brittle materials

This paper proposes a new 2D continuous-discontinuous heat conduction model to simulate heat transfer and thermal cracking in fractured quasi-brittle materials by combining with mechanical calculations of the FiniteDiscrete Element Method. By updating the sharing relationship of the nodes at the cracks, the model can accurately predict the temperature evolution, crack propagation and considers the effect of cracking on heat conduction. We verified the correctness of the continuous-discontinuous heat conduction model using examples of heat conduction in a continuum, media with single or multiple cracks, thermal deformation problems, and cracking induced by temperature gradient and thermal mismatch. The numerical results indicate that the continuous-discontinuous heat conduction model well reflects the effect of crack propagation on heat conduction and the discontinuity of temperature across the cracks. It provides a powerful tool for studying the whole process and mechanism analysis of thermal cracking of quasi-brittle materials.