Bulk high-temperature superconductors exhibit outstanding electromagnetic properties and are capable of trapping very large magnetic fields. However, bulk superconductors are subjected to a large Lorentz force during field cooling magnetization (FCM), which can cause crack initiation and propagation. Superconducting performance is then limited by the damage to the bulk. In this paper, we study the mechanical behavior and brittle damage of a three-dimensional (3D) bulk GdBCO superconductor during FCM. Firstly, the distribution of electromagnetic field in the bulk is obtained based on the H-formulation with a finite element model. Then, a 3D bond-based peridynamic (PD) model is used to simulate the mechanical behavior and possible brittle damage to the bulk under a given electromagnetic force. The initiation and propagation of cracks can be predicted using the 3D bond-based PD model. The effect of residual stress due to the presence of a reinforcement ring during the cooling process is also discussed. The results show that mechanical stability can be improved by reinforcing the sample.

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