Elasto-Plastic Phase-Field Modeling of Fracture in FDM-Printed ABS Components: Numerical Implementation and Experimental Validation

Abstract

This study presents a computational framework for predicting fracture behavior in 3D-printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) components using an elasto-plastic phase-field approach (PFA) implemented within the ABAQUS finite element environment. A user-defined element (UEL) subroutine is employed to solve the coupled displacement and damage equations through a staggered scheme. The model captures crack initiation and propagation under various stress states and specimen configurations, including pure shear, oblique shear, and tensile loading, without requiring predefined crack paths or remeshing. Numerical predictions are validated against experimental results, showing strong agreement in both force–displacement response and failure morphology. Parametric studies are conducted to assess the influence of mesh size, time increment, length scale parameter, and critical energy release rate on fracture response. The results demonstrate that while the peak reaction force is largely insensitive to these parameters, displacement at fracture and damage localization are significantly affected. The calibrated model successfully captures elasto-plastic fracture evolution in printed ABS specimens, confirming its robustness and generalizability. The proposed framework offers a reliable tool for failure analysis of polymer-based additively manufactured components and establishes a foundation for future extensions involving anisotropy, fatigue, and microstructural heterogeneity. © 2025 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.