Keywords Two-scale model, propagating cracks, partition-of-unity method, finite strain. This research focuses on the fracture that may occur in intervertebral discs. The intervertebral disc, which lies between adjacent vertebrae in the spine, serves as a shock absorber, load distributor, spacer and flexibility provider to the spine. The presence of damage in the discs, e.g. cracks, faults and shear bands, can obviously change their physical behaviour of the disc which may affect its capacity of

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... absorbing and transmitting load. This, in turn may cause severe lower back pain on human body.