Finite Fracture Mechanics model for mixed mode fracture in adhesive joints

Up to now the failure load assessment of bonded joints is still not fully understood. This work provides a new approach for assessing the crack initiation load of bonded joints. A failure model for single lap joints is proposed that is based on Finite Fracture Mechanics. Only two basic fracture parameters are required: the tensile strength and the fracture toughness of the adhesive. A coupled stress and energy criterion proposed in 2002 by Leguillon is used to model crack initiation in the adhesive layer. The theory of this criterion is outlined in detail, its relationship to other failure criteria is discussed and an overview of applications found in literature is given. An enhanced weak interface model that predicts a linear variation of the shear stresses in the adhesive layer is utilized to model the single lap joint. To compare joint designs and to reveal the limitations of the given approach a dimensionless brittleness number for mixed-mode loading is proposed. Along with a detailed discussion of the results for exemplary joint designs a comparison to experimental results from literature is performed. The two necessary fracture parameters are each taken from standard test results published in literature. A good agreement of the failure load predictions with the experimental results is observed. A remarkable outcome is that the presented failure model renders the adhesive thickness effect correctly. The paper concludes with a discussion of the limitations of the approach and the effect of material parameters.     

Stress multiaxiality factor for crack growth prediction using the strain energy density theory

The multiaxiality factor defined as the ratio of the von-Misses equivalent stress to the volumetric stress has been reported to be related to the initiation and progression of failure in structures. It is demonstrated in the present paper that the location around the crack tip where the multiaxiality factor obtains minimum value is an indicator of the direction of minimum material fracture resistance for crack propagation. It is also proposed that the location along the direction of crack propagation path where multiaxiality factor obtains minimum value is considered as the critical distance away from the crack tip, where the strain energy density should be evaluated and compared to its critical value. Theoretical predictions correlate well with the test results for the investigated cases.     

On fatigue crack growth in ductile materials by crack-tip blunting

One of the basic mechanisms for fatigue crack growth in ductile metals is that depending on crack-tip blunting under tensile loads and re-sharpening of the crack-tip during unloading. In a standard numerical analysis accounting for finite strains it is not possible to follow this process during many cycles, as severe mesh distortion at the crack-tip results from the huge geometry changes developing during the cyclic plastic straining. In the present numerical studies, based on an elastic-perfectly plastic material model, crack growth computations are continued up to 200 full cycles by using remeshing at several stages of the plastic deformation. Three different values of the load ratio R=K_min/K_max are considered. It is shown that the crack-tip opening displacement, CTOD, typically undergoes a transient behaviour, with no crack closure during many cycles, before a steady-state cycling with crack closure at the tip starts to gradually develop.     

Fatigue crack growth discrepancies with stress ratio

This paper examines cracking in D6ac and 4340 steel along with Mil Annealed and STOA Ti-6Al-4V and finds that the data implies that in the Paris Region (Region II) of the crack growth curve there is only a minimal R ratio dependency. Presented is a theoretical basis for explaining this behaviour and suggest alternative ways for characterising crack growth prediction through the use of the Generalised Frost-Dugdale crack growth law. The Fatigue Damage Map method is then used to explain the physics behind this behaviour.     

Modeling of fatigue crack growth from a notch

When a fatigue crack is nucleated and propagates into the vicinity of the notch, the crack growth rate is generally higher than that can be expected by using the stress intensity factor concept. The current study attempted to describe the crack growth at notches quantitatively with a detailed consideration of the cyclic plasticity of the material. An elastic–plastic finite element analysis was conducted to obtain the stress and strain histories of the notched component. A single multiaxial fatigue criterion was used to determine the crack initiation from the notch and the subsequent crack growth. Round compact specimens made of 1070 steel were subjected to Mode I cyclic loading with different R-ratios at room temperature. The approach developed was able to quantitatively capture the crack growth behavior near the notch. When the R-ratio was positive, the crack growth near a notch was mainly influenced by the plasticity created by the notch and the resulted fatigue damage during crack initiation. When the R-ratio was negative, the contact of the cracked surfaces during a part of a loading cycle reduced the cyclic plasticity of the material near the crack tip. The combined effect of notch plasticity and possible contact of cracked surface were responsible for the observed crack growth phenomenon near a notch.     

Fatigue crack growth simulation in coated materials using X-FEM

In the present work, the eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) is used to study the effect of bi-material interfaces on fatigue life in galvanised panels. X-FEM and Paris law are implemented in ABAQUS software using Python code. The XFEM method proved to be an adequate method for stress intensity factor computation, and, furthermore, no remeshing is required for crack growth simulations. A study of fatigue crack growth is conducted for several substrate materials, and the influence of the initial crack angle is ascertained. This study also compares the crack growth rate between three types of bi-materials alloys zinc/steel, zinc/aluminium, and zinc/zinc. The interaction between two cracks and fatigue life, in the presence of bi-material interface, is investigated as well.     

Creep crack growth on spent fuel zircaloy cladding in interim storage

The effect of creep failure mechanisms on the creep crack growth is examined on spent fuel Zircaloy cladding in interim storage. Based on the creep fracture mechanics parameter C^* and the strain energy density criteria, the relationship between the creep crack growth rate and the fracture mechanics parameter C^* is established theoretically. The effects of initial crack lengths and storage temperature profiles on cladding failure are discussed in detail. The results show that the initial crack length and the storage temperature profile play an important role in the interim dry storage. When the storage temperature remains at a constant temperature of 400 °C, it will be safe for the cladding which stores in the interim dry storage. The results presented in this study provide a reliable cladding integrity evaluation for spent fuel in the interim dry storage.     

Meshless analysis of plasticity with application to crack growth problems

The governing equations for classical rate-independent plasticity are formulated in the framework of meshless method. The special J₂ flow theory for three-dimensional, two-dimensional plane strain and plane stress problems are presented. The numerical procedures, including return mapping algorithm, to obtain the solutions of boundary-value problems in computational plasticity are outlined. For meshless analysis the special treatment of the presence of barriers and mirror symmetries is formulated. The crack growth process in elastic–plastic solid under plane strain and plane stress conditions is analyzed. Numerical results are presented and discussed.     

Plasticity induced fatigue crack growth retardation model for steel elements reinforced by composite patch

Fatigue tests on notched steel plates reinforced by composite patch showed that the application of carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) strips with pretension of the overlays prior to bonding. This resulted in a significant amount of additional fatigue life. In particular, the pre-tension produces a compressive field in the steel plate which reduces the stress ratio that enhances crack growth retardation. The fatigue crack propagation rate is postulated to be a function of the effective strain energy density factor range. Fatigue crack growth data showed that standard crack growth retardation model cannot be used to evaluate the minimum effective stress. Hence, an ad hoc plasticity model is introduced and validated using experimental results. The proposed technique is an extension of the well know Newman’s model. The bridging effect due to the reinforcing strips is analytically modeled in order to estimate the reduction of crack opening displacement and finally the magnification of the crack growth retardation. Numerical and experimental results match well and show a significant influence of the pre-tension level on the expected fatigue crack growth rate of a reinforced steel plate.     

Inclined semi-elliptical crack for predicting crack growth direction based on apparent stress intensity factors

Linear elastic criterion of the inclined semi-elliptical crack growth direction is elaborated on the basis of the strain energy density theory. Stress and displacement fields are presented for higher order terms asymptotic expansion. Solutions for elastic stress intensity factors are accounting for the function describing of the crack tip fields near the free surface of plate. The mixed mode behavior of crack growth direction angle along the semi-elliptical crack front for different combination of biaxial loading, inclination crack angle and surface flaw geometry is determined.     

Energy approach to crack growth in a fiber-reinforced brittle material modeled by an inclusion

Brittle materials randomly reinforced with a low volume fraction of strong, stiff and ductile fibers are considered, with specific reference to fiber-reinforced cements and concrete. Visible cracks in such materials are accompanied by a surrounding damage zone – together these constitute a very complex “crack system”. Enormous effort has been put into trying to understand the micromechanics of such systems. Almost all of these efforts do not deal with the “crack system” propagation behavior as a whole. The propagation process of such a “crack system” includes propagation of the visible crack and the growth of the damage zone. Propagation may take place by lengthening of the visible crack together with the concomitant lengthening of the surrounding damage zone, or simply by broadening of the damage zone while the visible crack length remains unchanged – or simultaneously by growth of both types. A phenomenological completely theoretical model (for an ideal material) is here proposed which can serve to examine the propagation process by means of energy principles, without recourse to the microscopic details of the process. An application of this theoretical approach is presented for the case of a damage zone evolving with a rectangular shape. This shape is chosen because it is expected that it will illustrate the nature of damage evolution and because the computational procedure necessary to follow the growth is the most straightforward.     

焊接节点半椭圆表面裂纹应力强度因子的权函数计算

本文采用一种改进的权函数法来计算焊接节点半椭圆表面裂纹应力强度因子ＫＩ值，并给出了相应的数值处理方法，就Ｔ型板节点进行了数值验算。     

Surface initiated crack growth simulation in moving lubricated contact

The paper describes a two-dimensional computational model for simulating surface initiated crack growth in the lubricated contact area that leads to surface pitting of mechanical components. The model assumes size and orientation of the initial crack which is subjected to contact loading conditions, accounting for the elasto-hydrodynamic-lubrication effects and tangential loading due to sliding. The influence of a lubricating fluid, driven into the crack by hydraulic mechanism, is also considered. The minimum strain energy density criterion is used to analyze crack propagation with the aim of the finite element analysis. The model is applied to a real pitting problem of a gear. The results for pit sizes correlate well with those observed in experimental testing.     

Predicting the fatigue life and crack aspect ratio evolution in complex structures

This paper discusses a computationally efficient method for determining the behaviour of complex structures containing three-dimensional cracks. A simple method is presented for calculating the mode I stress intensities for semi-elliptical cracks emanating from the saddle point of two intersecting tubular members. This method, which gives results in good agreement with published values, uses the finite element technique, but does not require the crack to be modelled explicitly. The technique is then used, in conjunction with FASTRAN II, to study fatigue crack growth and the results are compared to experimental data. Good agreement is achieved between both the predicted and measured fatigue crack growth and the evolution of the crack aspect ratios.     

Damage accumulation for growth of anti-plane crack in work-hardening material

Elastic–plastic solutions of an anti-plane crack in an infinite body are used in conjunction with a continuum damage model to describe the conditions necessary for the onset of crack instability, fatigue crack propagation due to cyclic loading, and rates of crack growth due to time dependent events. A power law relates the stress to the strain of the material. The damage, which invokes nucleation, growth and coalescence of microvoids due to elevated strain, is confined to the plastic zone surrounding the crack tip. For applied loading below the yield stress, the small-scale and large-scale yielding solutions are used to determine the influence of strain hardening on crack instability and failure. Crack growth due to cyclic loading and time-dependent deformations are studied using the small-scale yielding solution of the deformation theory of plasticity.     

A generalized Paris’ law for fatigue crack growth

An extension of the celebrated Paris law for crack propagation is given to take into account some of the deviations from the power-law regime in a simple manner using the Wöhler SN curve of the material, suggesting a more general “unified law”. In particular, using recent proposals by the first author, the stress intensity factor K(a) is replaced with a suitable mean over a material/structural parameter length scale Δa, the “fracture quantum”. In practice, for a Griffith crack, this is seen to correspond to increasing the effective crack length of Δa, similarly to the Dugdale strip-yield models. However, instead of including explicitly information on cyclic plastic yield, short-crack behavior, crack closure, and all other detailed information needed to eventually explain the SN curve of the material, we include directly the SN curve constants as material property. The idea comes as a natural extension of the recent successful proposals by the first author to the static failure and to the infinite life envelopes. Here, we suggest a dependence of this fracture “quantum” on the applied stress range level such that the correct convergence towards the Wöhler-like regime is obtained. Hence, the final law includes both Wöhler's and Paris’ material constants, and can be seen as either a generalized Wöhler's SN curve law in the presence of a crack or a generalized Paris’ law for cracks of any size.     

Electric-field-induced fatigue crack growth in ferroelectric ceramics

Electric-field-induced fatigue crack growth in pre-cracked PZT ferroelectric ceramics is experimentally investigated in this work. It is found that the crack open and close under an alternating electric field is a major mechanism of crack propagation. The experimental results also show that the frequency, waveform, as well as the amplitude ratio, of the electric loading, play important roles in electric-field-induced fatigue cracking. Empirical formulations of fatigue crack propagation rates are obtained based on the experimental results. It is revealed that the crack grows at a nearly constant rate when the loading frequency is below 100 Hz. However, with the increase of the loading frequency over 125 Hz, the crack propagation rate diminishes rapidly.     

Effect of T-stress on crack growth under mixed mode I–III loading

For a crack subjected to combined mode I and III loading the influence of a T-stress is analyzed, with focus on crack growth. The solid is a ductile metal modelled as elastic–plastic, and the fracture process is represented in terms of a cohesive zone model. The analyzes are carried out for conditions of small scale yielding, with the elastic solution applied as boundary conditions on the outer edge of the region analyzed. For several combinations of the stress intensity factors K_I and K_III and the T-stress crack growth resistance curves are calculated numerically in order to determine the fracture toughness. In all situations it is found that a negative T-stress adds to the fracture toughness, whereas a positive T-stress has rather little effect. For given values of K_I and T the minimum fracture toughness corresponds to K_III = 0.     

Numerical simulation on crack growth of multilayered ceramic/metal composites

The present paper develops a numerical technique named FSMS for simulating the crack growth of multilayered composites. Numerical simulations for the crack growth of multilayered ceramic/metal composites are carried out. The effects of some factors such as thickness ratio, initial crack length, material properties and dimensions of the structure on the crack growth are investigated. Numerical results show good agreement with experiments. FSMS is also a simple numerical method to solve crack problems of complex composite structures.