Identification of cohesive crack fracture parameters by evolutionary search Original Research Article

This paper is concerned with the application and performance of two evolutionary search techniques to identify the parameters characterizing mode I cohesive crack models. In particular, genetic-based heuristic schemes, implemented via a classical genetic algorithm and also as a differential evolution process, are considered. Actual experimental data are used to assess the schemes for both piecewise linear and nonlinear softening models. The results of these two adaptive algorithms are also compared with the performance of a previously proposed local optimization approach involving formulation of the inverse problem as a mathematical program with equilibrium constraints.