Diffraction of a plane stress wave by a semi-infinite crack in a general anisotropic elastic material

The problem of a semi-infinite crack subjected to an incident stress wave in a general anisotropic elastic solid is considered. The plane wave impinges the crack at a general oblique angle and is of any of the three types propagating in that direction. A related problem of a semi-infinite crack loaded by a pair of concentrated forces moving along the crack surfaces is also considered. In contrast to the conventional approach by Laplace transforms, a Stroh-like formalism is employed to construct the solution directly in the time domain. The solution is shown to depend on a Wiener–Hopf factorization of a symmetric matrix. Closed-form solution of the stress intensity factors is derived. A remarkably simple expression for the energy release rate is obtained for normal incidence.     

与两相材料界面接触的裂纹对SH波的散射

利用积分变换方法得出了两相材料中作用简谐集中力时的格林函数．根据所得的格林函数并利用Betti-Rayleigh互易定理得出了与界面接触裂纹的散射波场．裂纹的散射波场可分解为两部分，一部分为奇异的散射场，另一部分为有界的散射场．利用分解后的散射场，可得裂纹在SH波作用下的超奇异积分方程．根据裂纹散射场的奇异部分和Cauchy型奇异积分的性质得出了裂纹和界面接触点处的奇性应力指数和接触点角形域内的奇性应力．利用所得的奇性应力定义了裂纹和界面接触点处的动应力强度因子．对所得超奇异积分方程的数值求解可得裂纹端点和接解点处的应力强度因子。     

STUDY ON DYNAMIC STRESS INTENSITY FACTORS OF DISK WITH A RADIAL EDGE CRACK SUBJECTED TO EXTERNAL IMPULSIVE PRESSURE

A dynamic weight function method is presented for dynamic stress intensity factors of circular disk with a radial edge crack under external impulsive pressure. The dynamic stresses in a circular disk are solved under abrupt step external pressure using the eigenfunction method. The solution consists of a quasi-static solution satisfying inhomogeneous boundary conditions and a dynamic solution satisfying homogeneous boundary conditions. By making use of Fourier-Bessel series expansion, the history and distribution of dynamic stresses in the circular disk are derived. Furthermore, the equation for stress intensity factors under uniform pressure is used as the reference case, the weight function equation for the circular disk containing an edge crack is worked out, and the dynamic stress intensity factor equation for the circular disk containing a radial edge crack can be given. The results indicate that the stress intensity factors under sudden step external pressure vary periodically with time, and the ratio of the maximum value of dynamic stress intensity factors to the corresponding static value is about 2.0.     

Analysis of dynamic stress intensity factors of three-point bend specimen containing crack

A new formula is obtained to calculate dynamic stress intensity factors of the three-point bending specimen containing a single edge crack in this study. Firstly, the weight function for three-point bending specimen containing a single edge crack is derived from a general weight function form and two reference stress intensity factors, the coefficients of the weight function are given. Secondly, the history and distribution of dynamic stresses in uncracked three-point bending specimen are derived based on the vibration theory. Finally, the dynamic stress intensity factors equations for three-pointing specimen with a single edge crack subjected to impact loadings are obtained by the weight function method. The obtained formula is verified by the comparison with the numerical results of the finite element method (FEM). Good agreements have been achieved. The law of dynamic stress intensity factors of the three-point bending specimen under impact loadings varing with crack depths and loading rates is studied.     

Analysis of dynamic stress intensity factors of three-point bend specimen containing crack

A new formula is obtained to calculate dynamic stress intensity factors of the three-point bending specimen containing a single edge crack in this study. Firstly, the weight function for three-point bending specimen containing a single edge crack is derived from a general weight function form and two reference stress intensity factors, the coefficients of the weight function are given. Secondly, the history and distribution of dynamic stresses in uncracked three-point bending specimen are derived based on the vibration theory. Finally, the dynamic stress intensity factors equations for three-pointing specimen with a single edge crack subjected to impact loadings are obtained by the weight function method. The obtained formula is verified by the comparison with the numerical results of the finite element method (FEM). Good agreements have been achieved. The law of dynamic stress intensity factors of the three-point bending specimen under impact loadings varing with crack depths and loading rates is studied.     

On the effects of characteristic lengths in bending and torsion on Mode III crack in couple stress elasticity

The problem of a stationary semi-infinite crack in an elastic solid with microstructures subject to remote classical K_III field is investigated in the present work. The material behavior is described by the indeterminate theory of couple stress elasticity developed by Koiter. This constitutive model includes the characteristic lengths in bending and torsion and thus it is able to account for the underlying microstructure of the material as well as for the strong size effects arising at small scales. The stress and displacement fields turn out to be strongly influenced by the ratio between the characteristic lengths. Moreover, the symmetric stress field turns out to be finite at the crack tip, whereas the skew-symmetric stress field displays a strong singularity. Ahead of the crack tip within a zone smaller than the characteristic length in torsion, the total shear stress and reduced tractions occur with the opposite sign with respect to the classical LEFM solution, due to the relative rotation of the microstructural particles currently at the crack tip. The asymptotic fields dominate within this zone, which however has limited physical relevance and becomes vanishing small for a characteristic length in torsion of zero. In this limiting case the full-field solution recovers the classical K_III field with square-root stress singularity. Outside the zone where the total shear stress is negative, the full-field solution exhibits a bounded maximum for the total shear stress ahead of the crack tip, whose magnitude can be adopted as a measure of the critical stress level for crack advancing. The corresponding fracture criterion defines a critical stress intensity factor, which increases with the characteristic length in torsion. Moreover, the occurrence of a sharp crack profile denotes that the crack becomes stiffer with respect to the classical elastic response, thus revealing that the presence of microstructures may shield the crack tip from fracture.     

Intensity of singular stress at the fiber end in a hexagonal array of fibers

To evaluate the mechanical strength of fiber-reinforced composites it is necessary to consider singular stresses at the end of fibers because they cause crack initiation, propagation, and final failure. The singular stress field is controlled by generalized stress intensity factor (GSIF) defined at the fiber end. In this study, periodic and zigzag arrays of cylindrical inclusions under longitudinal tension are considered in comparison with the results for a single fiber. The unit cell region is approximated as an axi-symmetric cell; then, the body force method is applied, which requires the stress and displacement fields due to ring forces in infinite bodies having the same elastic constants as those of the matrix and inclusions. The given problem is solved on the superposition of two auxiliary problems under different boundary conditions. To obtain the GSIF accurately, the unknown body force densities are expressed as piecewise smooth functions using fundamental densities and power series. Here, the fundamental densities are chosen to represent the symmetric stress singularity, and the skew-symmetric stress singularity. The GSIFs are systematically calculated with varying the elastic modulus ratio and spacing of fibers. The effects of volume fraction and spacing of fibers are discussed in fiber-reinforced plastics.     

The weight function for cracks in piezoelectrics

The weight function in fracture mechanics is the stress intensity factor at the tip of a crack in an elastic material due to a point load at an arbitrary location in the body containing the crack. For a piezoelectric material, this definition is extended to include the effect of point charges and the presence of an electric displacement intensity factor at the tip of the crack. Thus, the weight function permits the calculation of the crack tip intensity factors for an arbitrary distribution of applied loads and imposed electric charges. In this paper, the weight function for calculating the stress and electric displacement intensity factors for cracks in piezoelectric materials is formulated from Maxwell relationships among the energy release rate, the physical displacements and the electric potential as dependent variables and the applied loads and electric charges as independent variables. These Maxwell relationships arise as a result of an electric enthalpy for the body that can be formulated in terms of the applied loads and imposed electric charges. An electric enthalpy for a body containing an electrically impermeable crack can then be stated that accounts for the presence of loads and charges for a problem that has been solved previously plus the loads and charges associated with an unsolved problem for which the stress and electric displacement intensity factors are to be found. Differentiation of the electric enthalpy twice with respect to the applied loads (or imposed charges) and with respect to the crack length gives rise to Maxwell relationships for the derivative of the crack tip energy release rate with respect to the applied loads (or imposed charges) of the unsolved problem equal to the derivative of the physical displacements (or the electric potential) of the solved problem with respect to the crack length. The Irwin relationship for the crack tip energy release rate in terms of the crack tip intensity factors then allows the intensity factors for the unsolved problem to be formulated, thereby giving the desired weight function. The results are used to derive the weight function for an electrically impermeable Griffith crack in an infinite piezoelectric body, thereby giving the stress intensity factors and the electric displacement intensity factor due to a point load and a point charge anywhere in an infinite piezoelectric body. The use of the weight function to compute the electric displacement factor for an electrically permeable crack is then presented. Explicit results based on a previous analysis are given for a Griffith crack in an infinite body of PZT-5H poled orthogonally to the crack surfaces.     

Analysis of energy release rate for cracked laminates

1.IntroductionFailurebehaviorofcompositematerialsandsomeothermaterialslikewoodsandorientedpolymersaregovernedbyanisotropicandheterogeneouscharacteristics(Suoetal.,l99l,O'Brien,l987)I"21.ltiswell-knownthattheelasticstressfieldatthecracktiphasaninversesquarerootsingularityforgenerallyanisotropicbuthomogeneousmaterials(Hoenig,1982)l,l.ForheterogeneousmatCrials,aslongastheelasticmoduliarecontinuousanddifferentiablefunctionsofthespatialcoordinates,thisinversesquarerootsingularitystillprevails(Eis…     

Evaluation of stress intensity factors by multiple reference state weight function approach

The advantages of expressing stress intensity factors in terms of weight functions are widely appreciated. However, the main obstacle in the determination of weight functions has been the definition of the crack opening displacement (COD) field. There are several approaches currently used, the most common is assuming an expression to define COD in terms of the crack dimensions and stress state. A recent development in weight function application simplifies the tranditional stress intensity factor calculation. This development uses more than one reference stress intensity factor and associated stress field to eliminate the need to assume a COD field. This paper describes current application of COD for weight functions and explains the full advantage of adopting a multiple reference state (MRS) weight function approach.     

The edge dislocation in a three-quarter plane. Part II: Application to an edge crack

This paper presents the solution for the crack tip stress intensity factors for a short crack emanating from the corner of a three-quarter plane. The solution employs the influence functions for a dislocation along one of the projection lines of a three-quarter plane together with the Williams semi-infinite wedge solutions, and the result is valid for any remote loading configuration. The sole proviso is that the crack is short enough to be considered well within the region in which the asymptotes govern the stress state. This general solution is then applied to a specific geometry and is compared with a calibration for the stress intensity factors for a similar geometry.     

THE EVALUATION OF STRESS INTENSITY FACTORS OF PLANE CRACK FOR ORTHOTROPIC PLATE WITH EQUAL PARAMETER BY F2LFEM

In this paper, the evaluation of stress intensity factor of plane crack problems for orthotropic plate of equal-parameter is investigated using a fractal two-level finite element method (F2LFEM). The general solution of an orthotropic crack problem is obtained by assimilating the problem with isotropic crack problem, and is employed as the global interpolation function in F2LFEM. In the neighborhood of crack tip of the crack plate, the fractal geometry concept is introduced to achieve the similar meshes having similarity ratio less than one and generate an infinitesimal mesh so that the relationship between the stiffness matrices of two adjacent layers is equal. A large number of degrees of freedom around the crack tip are transformed to a small set of generalized coordinates. Numerical examples show that this method is efficient and accurate in evaluating the stress intensity factor (SIF).     

Interaction between a compliant disk-shaped inclusion and a crack upon incidence of an elastic wave

The propagation of harmonic elastic wave in an infinite three-dimensional matrix containing an interacting low-rigidity disk-shaped inclusion and a crack. The problem is reduced to a system of boundary integral equations for functions that characterize jumps of displacements on the inclusion and crack. The unknown functions are determined by numerical solution of the system of boundary integral equations. For the symmetric problem, graphs are given of the dynamic stress intensity factors in the vicinity of the circular inclusion and the crack on the wavenumber for different distances between them and different compliance parameters of the inclusion.     

Perturbation of a dynamic planar crack moving in a model viscoelastic solid

Weight functions, which give stress intensity factors in terms of applied loading, are constructed, for three-dimensional time-dependent loading of a semi-infinite crack, propagating at uniform speed. Both a model problem, governed by a scalar wave equation, and the full vectorial problem for Mode I loading, are considered. The medium through which the crack propagates is viscoelastic; the approach is general but explicit formulae are given when the medium is a Maxwell fluid. The weight functions are exploited to develop formulae for the first-order perturbations of stress intensity factors when the crack edge is no longer straight but becomes slightly wavy. Implications for stability, and for “crack front waves” in the case of the Mode I problem, are discussed.     

Flow Around a Crack in a Porous Matrix and Related Problems

The equations governing plane steady-state flow in heterogeneous porous body containing cracks are presented first. Then, a general transformation lemma is presented which allows extending a particular solution obtained for a given flow problem to another configuration with different geometry, behaviour and boundary conditions. An existing potential solution in terms of discharges along the cracks, established by Liolios and Exadaktylos (J Solids Struct 43:3960–3982, 2006) for non-intersecting cracks in isotropic matrix, is extended to intersecting cracks in anisotropic matrix. The basic problem of a single straight crack in an infinite body submitted to a pressure gradient at infinity is then investigated and a closed-form solution is presented for the case of void cracks (infinite conductivity), as well as a semi-analytical solution for the case of cracks with Poiseuille type conductivity. These solutions, derived first for an isotropic matrix, are then extended to anisotropic matrices using the general transformation lemma. Finally, using the solution obtained for a single crack, a closed-form estimation of the effective permeability of micro-cracked porous materials with weak crack density is derived from a self-consistent upscaling scheme.     

Crack paths in three-dimensional elastic solids. i: two-term expansion of the stress intensity factors—application to crack path stability in hydraulic fracturing

The aim of this work is to lay theoretical foundations for the prediction of crack paths within the theory of quasistatic LEFM under the most general hypotheses: arbitrary three-dimensional geometry, arbitrary loading. This objective requires to derive the expression of the stress intensity factors along the crack front after an arbitrary infinitesimal propagation. Only the first two terms of their expansion in powers of the crack extension length δ, proportional to δ⁰ = 1 and δfn1fn2, are considered in this paper. Fully general formulae for these terms are obtained by combining arguments of dimensional analysis (scale changes) and regularity properties (continuity, differentiability) of the stresses at a fixed, given point with respect to δ for δ = 0 derived from the Bueckner–Rice weight function theory. This notably allows to extend the Cotterell–Rice criterion for stable rectilinear propagation of a mode I crack under plane strain conditions to the three-dimensional case. As an application, a penny-shaped crack induced by hydraulic fracturing is considered. Conclusions concerning the influence of the orientation and depth of such a crack upon the stability of its coplanar propagation seem to be compatible with experimental evidence.     

压电材料平面问题的尖端场和应力强度因子的求解

利用Lekhnitskii理论和Stroh理论的相互联系,把已知的基于Lekhnitskii理论平面应变结果转化为Stroh理论形式的结果,直接获得Stroh公式中A,B的显式表达式,此方法可扩展到平面应力情况,然后导出压电材料平面应变问题的尖端场Williams形式的展开式,采用半权函数法计算有限大压电体平面问题应力和电位移强度因子。对无穷大板含中心裂纹的情况下本文结果和已有结果进行了比较,表明本文方法得到的结果精度可靠。本文方法的最大优点是可以求解有限压电体的应力强度因子,并且需要的单元少,精度高,实用性好。     

In-plane wave motion and resonance phenomena in periodically layered composites with a crack

This paper investigates the transmission and propagation of two-dimensional (2D) time-harmonic plane waves in periodically multilayered elastic composites with a strip-like crack. The total wave field in the composite structure is represented as a sum of the incident wave field determined by the transfer matrix method and the scattered wave field described by integral representations in terms of the Green’s matrices and the crack-opening-displacements. A numerical scheme is developed to compute the wave propagation characteristics and the crack-characterizing quantities. The effects of the crack location and size as well as the angle of wave incidence are investigated using the averaged crack-opening-displacements and the stress intensity factors. Special attention of the paper is devoted to resonance wave motion and wave localization phenomena in a stack of periodical elastic layers weakened by a single strip-like crack. Numerical results are presented and discussed to reveal the usual and the resonant wave transmission by using the power-density vector and the energy streamlines in the vicinity of the crack. Wave localization due to interior and interface cracks is analyzed by considering the energy captured by a crack, and resonance induced crack growth is also discussed.     

On a semi-infinite crack penetrating a piezoelectric circular inhomogeneity with a viscous interface

We investigate a semi-infinite crack penetrating a piezoelectric circular inhomogeneity bonded to an infinite piezoelectric matrix through a linear viscous interface. The tip of the crack is at the center of the circular inhomogeneity. By means of the complex variable and conformal mapping methods, exact closed-form solutions in terms of elementary functions are derived for the following three loading cases: (i) nominal Mode-III stress and electric displacement intensity factors at infinity; (ii) a piezoelectric screw dislocation located in the unbounded matrix; and (iii) a piezoelectric screw dislocation located in the inhomogeneity. The time-dependent electroelastic field in the cracked composite system is obtained. Particularly the time-dependent stress and electric displacement intensity factors at the crack tip, jumps in the displacement and electric potential across the crack surfaces, displacement jump across the viscous interface, and image force acting on the piezoelectric screw dislocation are all derived. It is found that the value of the relaxation (or characteristic) time for this cracked composite system is just twice as that for the same fibrous composite system without crack. Finally, we extend the methods to the more general scenario where a semi-infinite wedge crack is within the inhomogeneity/matrix composite system with a viscous interface.     

Fatigue crack growth behavior of Al7050-T7451 attachment lugs under flight spectrum variation

This paper discusses an analytical and experimental investigations of the fatigue crack growth behavior in attachment lugs subjected to a randomized flight-by-flight spectrum. In the analysis, the stress intensity factors for through-the-thickness cracks initiating from lug holes were compared by weight function method, boundary element method (BEM), the interpolation of Brussat’s solution. The stress intensity factors of a corner crack at a transition region were obtained using two parameter weight function method and correction factors. Fatigue life under a load spectrum was predicted using stress intensity factors and Willenborg retardation model considering the effects of a tensile overload. Experiments were performed under a load spectrum and compared with the fatigue life prediction using the stress intensity factors by different methods. Changes of fatigue life and aspect ratio according to the clipping level of the spectrum were discussed through experiment and prediction. Effect of the spectrum clipping level on the fatigue life was experimentally evaluated by using beach marks of fractured surface.