Identification of Material Parameters of PVC Foams using Digital Image Correlation and the Virtual Fields Method

This paper presents an effective methodology to characterize all the constitutive (elastic) parameters of an orthotropic polymeric foam material (Divinycell H100) in one single test using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) in combination with the Virtual Fields Method (VFM). A modified Arcan fixture is used to induce various loading conditions ranging from pure shear or axial loading in tension or compression to bidirectional loading. A numerical optimization study was performed with different loading angles of the Arcan test fixture and off-axis angles of the principal material axes. The objective is to identify the configuration that gives the minimum sensitivity to noise and missing data on the specimen edges, which are the two major issues when identifying the stiffness components from actual DIC measurements. Two optimized Arcan test configurations were chosen. The experimental results obtained for these two optimized test configurations show a significant improvement of the measurement accuracy compared with a pure shear load configuration. The larger sensitivity of the pure shear test to missing data as opposed to the tensile test is also evident from the experimental data and confirms the analysis from the optimization study. The recovery of missing data along the specimen edges is a promising way to further improve the identification results.     

Monte Carlo simulation of complex cohesive fracture in random heterogeneous quasi-brittle materials

A numerical method is developed to simulate complex two-dimensional crack propagation in quasi-brittle materials considering random heterogeneous fracture properties. Potential cracks are represented by pre-inserted cohesive elements with tension and shear softening constitutive laws modelled by spatially-varying Weibull random fields. Monte Carlo simulations of a concrete specimen under uni-axial tension were carried out with extensive investigation of the effects of important numerical algorithms and material properties on numerical efficiency and stability, crack propagation processes and load-carrying capacities. It was found that the homogeneous model led to incorrect crack patterns and load–displacement curves with strong mesh-dependence, whereas the heterogeneous model predicted realistic, complicated fracture processes and load-carrying capacity of little mesh-dependence. Increasing the variance of the tensile strength random fields with increased heterogeneity led to reduction in the mean peak load and increase in the standard deviation. The developed method provides a simple but effective tool for assessment of structural reliability and calculation of characteristic material strength for structural design.     

Two dimensional numerical simulation of crack kinking from an interface under dynamic loading by time domain boundary element method

The hybrid time-domain boundary element method, together with the multi-region technique, is applied to simulate the dynamic process of propagation and/or kinking of an interface crack in a two-dimensional bi-material. The whole bi-material is divided into two regions along the interface. The traditional displacement boundary integral equations are employed with respect to each region. However, when the crack kinks into the matrix material, the non-hypersingular traction boundary integral equations are used with respect to the part of the crack in the matrix. Crack propagation along the interface is numerically modelled by releasing the nodes in the front of the moving crack-tip controlled by the fracture criterion. Kinking of the interface crack is controlled by a criterion developed from the quasi-static one. Once the crack kinks into the matrix, its propagation is modeled by adding new elements of constant length to the moving crack-tip controlled by a criterion extended from the quasi-static maximum circumferential stress. The numerical results of the crack growth trajectory for different material combinations are computed and compared with the corresponding experimental results. Good agreement between numerical and experimental results implies that the present boundary element numerical method can provide an excellent simulation for the dynamic propagation and deflection of an interface crack.     

Inverse Estimation of Cohesive Fracture Properties of Asphalt Mixtures Using an Optimization Approach

Tensile cracking in asphalt pavements due to vehicular and thermal loads has become an experimental and numerical research focus in the asphalt materials community. Previous studies have used the discrete element method (DEM) to study asphalt concrete fracture. These studies used trial-and-error to obtain local fracture properties such that the DEM models approximate the experimental load-crack mouth opening displacement response. In the current study, we identify the cohesive fracture properties of asphalt mixtures via a nonlinear optimization method. The method encompasses a comparative investigation of displacement fields obtained using both digital image correlation (DIC) and heterogeneous DEM fracture simulations. The proposed method is applied to two standard fracture test geometries: the single-edge notched beam test, SE(B), under three-point bending, and the disk-shaped compact tension test, DC(T). For each test, the Subset Splitting DIC algorithm is used to determine the displacement field in a predefined region near the notch tip. Then, a given number of DEM simulations are performed on the same specimen. The DEM is used to simulate the fracture of asphalt concrete with a linear softening cohesive contact model, where fracture-related properties (e.g., maximum tensile force and maximum crack opening) are varied within a predefined range. The difference between DIC and DEM displacement fields for each set of fracture parameters is then computed and converted to a continuous function via multivariate Lagrange interpolation. Finally, we use a Newton-like optimization technique to minimize Lagrange multinomials, yielding a set of fracture parameters that minimizes the difference between the DEM and DIC displacement fields. The optimized set of fracture parameters from this nonlinear optimization procedure led to DEM results which are consistent with the experimental results for both SE(B) and DC(T) geometries.     

冲击载荷作用下黑砂岩动态断裂参数的分形修正

基于分形理论研究了偏折裂纹扩展路径对动载荷作用下黑砂岩的动态断裂力学参数的测试误差影响作用,采用传统的分离式霍普金森压杆（split Hopkinson pressure bar, SHPB）实验装置对修正侧开单裂纹半孔板（improved single cleavage semi-circle specimen, ISCSC）试样进行动态冲击实验,随后采用裂纹扩展计进行裂纹起裂时间与裂纹扩展速度等动态断裂力学参数测试,采用分形理论对测试的裂纹扩展速度与动态应力强度因子进行修正,利用实验-数值法对黑砂岩的动态断裂韧度进行计算。研究结果表明,ISCSC构型构件能够有效应用于岩石材料动态裂纹扩展行为的研究,并发生了止裂现象,经分形修正的裂纹扩展速度与动态断裂韧度更接近实际裂纹动态扩展情况,修正前后得到黑砂岩材料的裂纹扩展速度误差为33.51%,动态断裂韧度最大误差为7.68%,说明利用分形理论对动态断裂韧度等动态断裂参数计算更合理。     

Flattened Brazilian Disc Method for Determining the Dynamic Tensile Stress-Strain Curve of Low Strength Brittle Solids

An indirect tensile testing method is proposed to measure the full dynamic tensile stress-strain curve of low strength brittle solids. In this method, the flattened-Brazilian disc (FBD) sample is loaded by modified split Hopkinson pressure bars (SHPB) system. Low amplitude dynamic forces were measured with a pair of piezoelectric force transducers embedded in the incident bar and the transmitted bar. The evolution of tensile stress at the center of the disc sample was determined through finite element analyses using the measured stress in SHPB as inputs. In a traditional Brazilian test, a strain gauge is mounted at the center of the specimen to measure the tensile strain, which is difficult to apply for low strength brittle materials. Thus, two types of non-contact methods, the Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique and the Laser Gap Gauge (LGG), were used to measure the strain. The DIC method was used to monitor the displacement and the strain map of the specimen during the test, from which the strain at the center of the specimen can be obtained. The accuracy of the DIC results was assessed, and the displacement and strain uncertainties of our system were 0.003 mm and 0.003, respectively. LGG was used to monitor the expansion of the disc perpendicular to the loading axis, from which the average tensile strain is deduced. The numerical simulation revealed that the tensile strain at the center of the specimen is proportional to the average tensile strain and that the ratio is not sensitive to the material elastic parameters. The strain measured through LGG was compared with that measured by the DIC method using photos captured with a synchronized high-speed camera. The result of the LGG method was 20 % smaller than that of the DIC process. However, the latter was limited by the number of frames of the high-speed camera. The feasibility of this methodology was demonstrated using a polymer-bonded explosive (PBX).     

Crack Path Selection in Thermally Loaded Borosilicate/Steel Bibeam Specimen

We have developed a novel specimen for studying crack paths in glass. Under certain conditions, the specimen reaches a state where the crack must select between multiple paths satisfying the K _II = 0 condition. This path selection is a simple but challenging benchmark case for both analytical and numerical methods of predicting crack propagation. We document the development of the specimen, using an uncracked and instrumented test case to study the effect of adhesive choice and validate the accuracy of both a simple beam theory model and a finite element model. In addition, we present preliminary fracture test results and provide a comparison to the path predicted by two numerical methods (mesh restructuring and XFEM). The directional stability of the crack path and differences in kink angle predicted by various crack kinking criteria is analyzed with a finite element model.     

Direct Extraction of Cohesive Fracture Properties from Digital Image Correlation: A Hybrid Inverse Technique

The accuracy of an adopted cohesive zone model (CZM) can affect the simulated fracture response significantly. The CZM has been usually obtained using global experimental response, e.g., load versus either crack opening displacement or load-line displacement. Apparently, deduction of a local material property from a global response does not provide full confidence of the adopted model. The difficulties are: (1) fundamentally, stress cannot be measured directly and the cohesive stress distribution is non-uniform; (2) accurate measurement of the full crack profile (crack opening displacement at every point) is experimentally difficult to obtain. An attractive feature of digital image correlation (DIC) is that it allows relatively accurate measurement of the whole displacement field on a flat surface. It has been utilized to measure the mode I traction-separation relation. A hybrid inverse method based on combined use of DIC and finite element method is used in this study to compute the cohesive properties of a ductile adhesive, Devcon Plastic Welder II, and a quasi-brittle plastic, G-10/FR4 Garolite. Fracture tests were conducted on single edge-notched beam specimens (SENB) under four-point bending. A full-field DIC algorithm was employed to compute the smooth and continuous displacement field, which is then used as input to a finite element model for inverse analysis through an optimization procedure. The unknown CZM is constructed using a flexible B-spline without any “a priori” assumption on the shape. The inversely computed CZMs for both materials yield consistent results. Finally, the computed CZMs are verified through fracture simulation, which shows good experimental agreement.     

平面应变下紧凑拉伸试样的动态断裂韧性的实验研究

材料的动态断裂韧性是衡量材料在动载荷作用下抵杭裂纹扩展能力的重要指标,以往的材料动态断裂韧性测试多采用三点弯曲试样,而针对紧凑拉伸试样的动态断裂韧性研究很少.本文将紧凑拉伸试样(即CT试样)简化成等效弹簧质量模型,得到了CT试样动态应力强度因子的近似表达式.对Hopkinson压杆装置进行了改进,利用改进后的实验装置进...     

Particle flow study on strength and meso-mechanism of Brazilian splitting test for jointed rock mass

A discrete element method （DEM） called particle flow code （PFC2D） was used to construct a model for Brazilian disc splitting test in the present study. Based on the experimental results of intact Brazilian disc of rock-like material, a set of micro-parameters in PFC2D that reflected the macro-mechanical behavior of rock-like materials were obtained. And then PFC2D was used to simulate Brazilian splitting test for jointed rock mass specimens and specimen containing a central straight notch. The effect of joint angle and notch angle on the tensile strength and failure mode of jointed rock specimens was detailed analyzed. In order to reveal the meso-mechanical mechanism of crack coalescence, displacement trend lines were applied to analyze the displacement evolution during the crack initiation and propagation. The investigated conclusions can be described as follows. （1） The tensile strength of jointed rock mass disc specimen is dependent to the joint angle. As the joint angle increases, the tensile strength of jointed rock specimen takes on a nonlinear variance. （2） The tensile strength of jointed rock mass disc specimen containing a central straight notch distributes as a function of both joint angle and notch angle. （3） Three major failure modes, i.e., pure tensile failure, shear failure and mixed tension and shear failure mode are observed in jointed rock mass disc specimens under Brazilian test. （4） The notch angle roles on crack initiation and and joint angle play important propagation characteristics of jointed rock mass disc specimen containing a central straight notch under Brazilian test.     

Direct Evaluation of Cohesive Law in Mode I of Pinus pinaster by Digital Image Correlation

The direct identification of the cohesive law in pure mode I of Pinus pinaster is addressed in this work. The approach couples the double cantilever beam (DCB) test with digital image correlation (DIC). Wooden beam specimens loaded in the radial-longitudinal (RL) fracture propagation system are used. The strain energy release rate in mode I (G _I) is uniquely determined from the load–displacement curve by means of the compliance-based beam method (CBBM). This method relies on the concept of equivalent elastic crack length (a _eq) and therefore does not require the monitoring of crack propagation during test. DIC measurements are processed with two different purposes. Firstly, the physical evidence of a _eq is discussed with regard to actual estimation of the crack length based on post-processing full-field displacement measurements. Secondly, the crack tip opening displacement in mode I (w _I) is determined from the displacements near the initial crack tip. The cohesive law in mode I (σ _I???w _I) is then identified by numerical differentiation of the G _I???w _I relationship. The methodology and accuracy on this reconstruction are addressed. Moreover, the proposed procedure is validated by finite element analyses including cohesive zone modelling. It is concluded that the proposed data reduction scheme is adequate for assessing the cohesive law in pure mode I of P. pinaster.     

SiC/Al梯度功能材料紧凑拉伸试件裂纹扩展分析

SiC/Al梯度功能材料各梯度层由不同体积浓度的陶瓷和金属组成,由于材料组分梯度变化,克服了双材料界面的应力突变问题,获得了优异的使用性能.本文首先采用激光云纹干涉法,对具有四个梯度层的SiC/Al梯度功能材料紧凑拉伸试件在机械荷载作用下的拉伸实验位移场进行记录,进而获得紧凑拉伸试件裂纹口位移P-V曲线以及材料断裂韧度实验值;然后根据层合梯度功能材料理论分析模型,建立FGM紧凑拉伸试件的渐近分网有限元平面应变模型,采用通用有限元软件的单元删除模块对试件模型进行裂纹扩展单元的应变模拟分析,从计算所得的裂纹尖端应变图像分析得出梯度材料试件的裂纹扩展规律.     

冲击载荷作用下圆孔缺陷对裂纹动态扩展行为的影响规律

空腔和裂纹缺陷通常共存于深部地下岩体中,它们共同影响着岩体的结构安全性与稳定性。为了探究动力扰动载荷下圆形空腔对裂隙岩体内裂纹扩展行为的影响规律,提出了不同圆孔倾角的直裂纹空腔圆弧开口试件（circular opening specimen with straight crack cavity, COSSCC）,利用自制大型落锤冲击实验装置进行动态加载实验,同时采用裂纹扩展计系统测试了裂纹的动态起裂时刻与裂纹扩展速度等各种断裂力学参数,随后采用有限差分软件Autodyn进行裂纹扩展路径与圆孔周围应力场的数值分析,并采用有限元软件Abaqus计算裂纹的动态起裂韧度与裂纹扩展过程中的动态扩展韧度。结果表明:（1）当圆孔倾角θ小于10°时,裂纹扩展路径会偏折并穿过圆孔表面;当圆孔倾角θ为20°与30°时,裂纹扩展路径向圆孔方向发生偏折但不会穿过圆孔,圆孔具有明显的裂纹扩展引导作用; 当圆孔倾角θ为40°与50°时,裂纹扩展路径不会发生偏折,圆孔引导作用明显减弱。（2）当裂纹扩展路径达到圆孔空腔附近时,裂纹尖端的拉伸应力区与圆孔边缘的拉伸应力区发生重合,此时裂纹扩展速度显著增大,裂纹动态断裂韧度显著减小。（3）裂纹的偏折方向与裂纹尖端最大周向应力的方向基本一致。（4）裂纹动态断裂韧度始终小于裂纹起裂韧度,且裂纹动态断裂韧度与裂纹动态扩展速度呈负相关关系。裂纹动态扩展速度越大,裂纹动态断裂韧度越小。     

Mode I Fracture at Spot Welds in Dual-Phase Steel: An Application of Reverse Digital Image Correlation

Strain fields in 600 grade dual-phase steel V-notch tensile specimens, both with and without a spot weld, were measured after mode I fracture initiation. Starting with the final image of a fully developed crack, a novel reverse digital image correlation (DIC) analysis was used to determine the path that the crack followed at the onset of fracture as well as the crack tip deformation field. This gave the pixel coordinates of grid points on both sides (i.e. fracture surfaces) of the crack path in the undeformed image. Strain fields that develop in the base material regions surrounding the two fracture surfaces were subsequently measured with forward DIC analysis. Steady state values of the crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) and crack tip opening angle (CTOA), which are important fracture parameters, were measured for the base DP600 metal. Notch tip opening displacement (NTOD) and notch tip opening angle were also measured. It was found that steady state values of the CTOD and CTOA are reached within 2 mm or so of crack growth following completion of the flat-to-slant transition of the fracture surface and stabilization of the crack tunneling effect.     

Mode-3 spontaneous crack propagation in unsymmetric functionally graded materials

The effects of the inhomogeneous material property variation on the mode-3 crack propagation characteristics have been analyzed. The spectral form of the elastodynamic boundary integral equations are derived for a functionally graded material, which is used as the numerical tool in our analysis. The material property gradient is assumed to vary unsymmetrically in the direction normal to the fracture plane. A parametric study has been performed by systematically varying the inhomogeneity length scale. In comparison with a homogeneous material, an unsymmetric functionally graded material offers lesser fracture resistance. The fracture resistance progressively decreases with increase in inhomogeneity, quantified by the increase in crack sliding displacement jumps, crack tip velocities and accelerations. The material property inhomogeneity affects only the transient crack propagation velocities, while the quasi-steady-state velocity remains unaltered.     

皮质骨断裂力学行为的实验研究

采用稳态裂纹扩展和疲劳裂纹扩展的实验, 研究了牛皮质骨横向和纵向裂纹扩展的断裂力学行为. 沿着两个方向制备了紧凑拉伸(CT)试件. 由于试件尺寸的限制,采用数值计算方法确定了裂纹尖端应力强度因子与裂纹长度的关系. 在实验中, 采用数字图像相关法精确测定裂纹尖端的位置. 由于裂纹沿横向扩展时有较大的偏斜, 将采用$J$积分测量其断裂韧性. 实验结果表明, 在裂纹扩展的一定范围内, 皮质骨的断裂韧度随着裂纹不断扩展而增大, 即表现出上升的阻力曲线(R-curve)性质.而皮质骨的横向裂纹扩展的断裂韧度要远远大于纵向裂纹扩展的断裂韧度, 表现出各向异性的阻力曲线行为. 在疲劳裂纹扩展中, 纵向疲劳裂纹扩展率要大于横向疲劳裂纹扩展率, 这说明皮质骨具有各向异性的疲劳裂纹扩展性质.      

一种基于SHTB的Ⅱ型动态断裂实验技术

冲击剪切载荷作用下动态断裂韧性的测定是材料力学性能和断裂行为研究中重要组成部分.为了测定材料的Ⅱ型动态断裂韧性,许多学者采用不同的试样与实验方法进行了实验,但限于实验条件,裂纹断裂模式往往是I+Ⅱ复合型,而不是纯Ⅱ型,因而不能准确测得材料的Ⅱ型动态断裂韧性.鉴于此,本文基于分离式霍普金森拉杆(split Hopkinson tension bar,SHTB)实验技术,提出一种改进的紧凑拉伸剪切(modified compact tension shear,MCTS)试样,通过夹具对MCTS试样施加约束,从而保证试样按照纯Ⅱ型模式断裂.采用实验-数值方法对MCTS试样动态加载过程进行分析,将实验测得的波形输入有限元软件ANSYS-LSDYNA,得到了裂纹尖端应力强度因子-时间曲线,并与紧凑拉伸剪切(compact tension shear,CTS)试样进行了对比.同时采用数字图像相关法进行了实验,验证了有限元分析结果.结果表明,MCTS试样在整个加载过程中K_I K_Ⅱ,裂纹没有张开;而CTS试样在同样的加载过程中K_IK_Ⅱ,出现裂纹张开现象.这说明MCTS试样能够准确地测定材料的Ⅱ型动态断裂韧性,为材料动态力学测试提供了一种有效的实验技术.     

基于离散元法的涂层硬质合金刀具建模及其加工损伤预测

首先建立了TiCN涂层硬质合金刀具基体材料(WC)的离散元模型,根据单轴压缩、三点弯曲以及断裂韧性等数值试验方法校准了基体材料离散元模型的微观参数,然后采用划痕法校准了基体与涂层的界面结合强度。根据Merchant切削模型,建立了涂层刀具切削过程中的刀-屑接触模型,通过对切屑施加周期性边界条件来模拟实际的切削加工过程;模拟了涂层刀具加工过程中的裂纹扩展和破坏情况,并预测了切削加工用量对涂层裂纹扩展及破坏的影响。     

Influence of softening on fracture propagation in large-scale shell structures

In this study, fracture propagation in large shell elements is modelled with the softening law. This law is given in a general form, enabling investigations of different softening behaviours to be conducted. The final fracture is simulated by removing elements. The softening parameters are derived using the energy-based representative volume element (RVE) approach. Tracing crack propagation through the RVE defines the physically justified softening parameters for the current model. The softening model is implemented into ABAQUS using VUMAT subroutines for the shell elements. A large-scale tearing experiment is simulated with the current model and RVE-based softening parameters. In addition, the softening laws from the literature have been used. The fracture propagation is assessed in terms of plastic energy dissipation in the RVE and the whole structure, load–displacement, and crack growth. The RVE-based model is shown to have better performance compared with other models from the literature.     

Ⅰ型裂纹中低速冲击荷载下起裂韧度测试新方法

为了探寻更加合理的构型试件来研究纯Ⅰ型裂纹在冲击荷载下的起裂及扩展行为, 提出一种新构型试件, 即双倾斜底边中心裂纹试件(double inclined bottom central cracked, DIBCC)。借助于中低速落锤式冲击实验装置进行冲击实验, 通过应力波来使试件内预制裂纹起裂并扩展, 同时利用应变片测试系统监测裂纹起裂时刻, 并采用AUTODYN有限差分软件对实验过程进行数值模拟, 最后计算裂纹的动态应力强度因子, 利用实验测得的起裂时刻, 确定试件的起裂韧度。结果表明:(1)在反射拉伸波作用下, 预制裂纹两侧会产生垂直于裂纹面向外的位移, 使预制裂纹扩张, 从而使裂纹起裂。(2)数值模拟结果与实验结果在裂纹扩展路径上具有一致性, 说明本文中提出的DIBCC构型试件有效, 可以用来测试裂纹在冲击载荷下的断裂韧度。