Generalized configurational force for thermoelasticity with application to isogeometric analysis of thermoelastic crack propagation

Key Points

• Thermoelasticity impacts crack propagation behavior in materials under thermal stress, enhancing predictions of failure.
• The study identifies configurational force as a key element influencing crack propagation in thermoelastic materials, yielding improved results.
• Analysis of isogeometric methods provides a new framework for studying the interaction of thermal and mechanical properties in materials.
• Findings indicate that understanding configurational forces may enable better approaches to prevent material failure during thermal cycles.