Bridging experiments and defects' mechanics: a data-driven toolbox for configurational force analysis.

Abstract

Understanding the mechanical behaviour of defective materials is key to predicting failure and enhancing performance. Traditional fracture mechanics often requires assumptions about geometry and loading that are unavailable in experimental systems. We present a MATLAB-based computational toolbox that extracts configurational forces and mixed-mode SIFs directly from experimentally measured displacement or deformation gradient fields, like digital image/volume correlation and high (angular) resolution electron backscatter diffraction. The toolbox implements path-independent energy integrals, including the <i>J</i>- and <i>M</i>-integrals, and introduces a novel mode decomposition formulation that isolates mode I-III SIFs contributions without predefined specimen geometries, applied loads, or boundary conditions. Applications to microcracks, dislocations, and fatigue cracks demonstrate its robust, geometry-independent characterisation, which can enable data-driven analysis of defect behaviour in anisotropic and complex materials. The framework is material-agnostic in principle and operates directly on experimental fields; however, its current implementation assumes small-strain kinematics, making it most applicable to linear and anisotropic elastic and elastoplastic materials such as metals and ceramics.<h4>Supplementary information</h4>The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00366-025-02262-5.