So far I've figured out just a few of them.
Negative volume is pretty critical. If the elements get neagative volume (a wall of an element pushes through into the other side of the element?) it will crash your simulation.
The strain parameters are self explaining. It reaches 0.1, means it deformed 10%... pliable metal in tests is described to disconnect around 30% value. So... that's something. Elastic strain is the ... elastic. Plastic is the plastic part. And total is elastic plus plastic. From general modelling principles.
Brittle allows you to set the strain limits (and stiffness curves... elastic, pure plastic or softening) in tension and compression separately. Then you can pick how large a strain will cause deleting the element - again, allowing to set the limits in tension and in compression. Very cool feature. Meant to be used for things like concrete. But can do interesting things for metal too (allow it to compress a lot more than pulling).
Have not tested thinning. Can only imagine it's great for shell elements. No idea how it performs though. Not tested yet. Will do soon, probably 🙂
The interval sets how many steps the solver will use to release the forces the deleted element was holding. If you just "pop" the element out of existance - all the tension that it was holding will just "snap" into nodes. Sending ripples through the element system. But if you gradually release the loads in 10 steps or so, the disconnect will not be as violent.
The num
