Bond-based peridynamic modelling of singular and nonsingular crack-tip fields

A static meshfree implementation of the bond-based peridynamics formulation for linearly elastic solids is applied to the study of the transition from local to nonlocal behavior of the stress and displacement fields in the vicinity of a crack front and other sources of stress concentration. The long-range nature of the interactions between material points that is intrinsic to and can be modulated within peridynamics enables the smooth transition from the square-root singular stress fields predicted by the classical (local) linear theory of elasticity, to the nonsingular fields associated with nonlocal theories. The accuracy of the peridynamics scheme and the transition from local to nonlocal behavior, which are dictated by the lattice spacing and micromodulus function, are assessed by performing an analysis of the boundary layer that surrounds the front of a two dimensional crack subjected to mode-I loading and of a cracked plate subjected to far-field tension.     

On critical assessment of the use of local and nonlocal damage models for prediction of ductile crack growth and crack path in various loading and boundary conditions

In this work, we have assessed the results of the local and nonlocal versions of Rousselier’s damage model, which have been used here for simulation of ductile crack growth. There are several issues regarding the accuracy of the results which has been addressed in this paper, e.g., accuracy in simulation of crack path, extent and width of the damaged region, fracture resistance behaviour in situations such as symmetric vs. non-symmetric boundary-value problems, mixed-mode loading vs. mode-I loading of the crack-tip, etc. It was also observed that the shape and orientation of the elements at the crack-tip, in addition to their size, influence the results of the local damage model. In this work, it was shown that the above issues can be resolved through the use of nonlocal damage models. The predictions of the nonlocal model are also consistent with the experimental observations unlike its local counterpart. Several examples were presented, where the results as obtained by both the local and nonlocal models were compared. From this experience, it is recommended that the local damage models should not be used blindly by the analysts for all kinds of mesh design, loading, boundary conditions, etc.     

A delamination gage for carbon fiber composites

A graphite crack gage familiar to fracture testing of nonconductive polymeric materials has been adapted to measure delamination growth in carbon fiber composites. The gage consists of a continuous graphite film whose conductance changes linearly with respect to crack length. The development of an insulation technique so that the electrical film may be applied to carbon fiber composites is described. Further constraints on the gage design occur due to the narrow profiles of conventional delamination specimens. These limitations are reviewed in detail along with appropriate methods for manufacturing and calibration of the gage for delamination experiments. A simple shunt voltage measurement circuit is described along with a derivation of the relationship of crack length to voltage. Two example applications are provided: stable delamination growth in a conventional double cantilever beam (DCB) specimen and dynamic delamination growth in a single-edge-notched (SEN) strip. The electrical delamination length measurements from the DCB tests were found to compare well with the location of the delamination front determined by microscopy and radiography. These results give confidence in dynamic delamination results where growth rates exceeding 1000 m/s were measured. Sample evaluations of delamination toughness are made using the experimental data; compliance methods are used in the case of the DCB analysis, and dynamic finite element methods are used in the case of the SEN strip analysis.     

On the asymptotic crack-tip stress fields in nonlocal orthotropic elasticity

The crack-tip stress fields in orthotropic bodies are derived within the framework of Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity via the Green’s function method. The modified Bessel function of second kind and order zero is considered as the nonlocal kernel. We demonstrate that if the localisation residuals are neglected, as originally proposed by Eringen, the asymptotic stress tensor and its normal derivative are continuous across the crack. We prove that the stresses attained at the crack tip are finite in nonlocal orthotropic continua for all the three fracture modes (I, II and III). The relative magnitudes of the stress components depend on the material orthotropy. Moreover, non-zero self-balanced tractions exist on the crack edges for both isotropic and orthotropic continua. The special case of a mode I Griffith crack in a nonlocal and orthotropic material is studied, with the inclusion of the T-stress term.     

Axisymmetric response of a cracked fiber in matrix

Solved is the problem of a penny-shaped crack in a fiber surrounded by a finite radius matrix subjected to uniform axial strain. The stress intensity factor at the crack edge and the maximum stresses at the interface are examined. These quantities depend on the elastic moduli of the fiber and the matrix, the interface properties, the fiber volume fraction and the crack length. The axisymmetric results are compared with those in plane extension. They are discussed in relation to possible crack growth directions depending on assumed interface strength.     

The scattering of harmonic elastic anti-plane shear waves by two collinear cracks in anisotropic material plane by using the non-local theory

In this paper, the dynamic behavior of two collinear cracks in the anisotropic elasticity material plane subjected to the harmonic anti-plane shear waves is investigated by use of the nonlocal theory. To overcome the mathematical difficulties, a one-dimensional nonlocal kernel is used instead of a two-dimensional one for the anti-plane dynamic problem to obtain the stress field near the crack tips. By use of the Fourier transform, the problem can be solved with the help of a pair of triple integral equations, in which the unknown variable is the displacement on the crack surfaces. To solve the triple integral equations, the displacement on the crack surfaces is expanded in a series of Jacobi polynomials. Unlike the classical elasticity solutions, it is found that no stress singularity is present near crack tips. The nonlocal elasticity solutions yield a finite hoop stress at the crack tips, thus allowing us to using the maximum stress as a fracture criterion. The magnitude of the finite stress field not only depends on the crack length but also on the frequency of the incident waves and the lattice parameter of the materials.     

Nonlocal theory solution of two collinear cracks in the functionally graded materials

In this paper, the interaction of two collinear cracks in functionally graded materials subjected to a uniform anti-plane shear loading is investigated by means of nonlocal theory. The traditional concepts of the nonlocal theory are extended to solve the fracture problem of functionally graded materials. To make the analysis tractable, it is assumed that the shear modulus varies exponentially with the coordinate vertical to the crack. By use of the Fourier transform, the problem can be solved with the help of a pair of triple integral equations, in which the unknown variable is the displacement on the crack surfaces. To solve the triple integral equations, the displacement on the crack surfaces is expanded in a series of Jacobi polynomials. Unlike the classical elasticity solutions, it is found that no stress singularity is present near the crack tips. The nonlocal elastic solutions yield a finite hoop stress at the crack tip, thus allowing us to use the maximum stress as a fracture criterion in functionally graded materials. The magnitude of the finite stress field depends on the crack length, the distance between two cracks, the parameter describing the functionally graded materials and the lattice parameter of the materials.     

A higher-order nonlocal elasticity and strain gradient theory and its applications in wave propagation

In recent years there have been many papers that considered the effects of material length scales in the study of mechanics of solids at micro- and/or nano-scales. There are a number of approaches and, among them, one set of papers deals with Eringen's differential nonlocal model and another deals with the strain gradient theories. The modified couple stress theory, which also accounts for a material length scale, is a form of a strain gradient theory. The large body of literature that has come into existence in the last several years has created significant confusion among researchers about the length scales that these various theories contain. The present paper has the objective of establishing the fact that the length scales present in nonlocal elasticity and strain gradient theory describe two entirely different physical characteristics of materials and structures at nanoscale. By using two principle kernel functions, the paper further presents a theory with application examples which relates the classical nonlocal elasticity and strain gradient theory and it results in a higher-order nonlocal strain gradient theory. In this theory, a higher-order nonlocal strain gradient elasticity system which considers higher-order stress gradients and strain gradient nonlocality is proposed. It is based on the nonlocal effects of the strain field and first gradient strain field. This theory intends to generalize the classical nonlocal elasticity theory by introducing a higher-order strain tensor with nonlocality into the stored energy function. The theory is distinctive because the classical nonlocal stress theory does not include nonlocality of higher-order stresses while the common strain gradient theory only considers local higher-order strain gradients without nonlocal effects in a global sense. By establishing the constitutive relation within the thermodynamic framework, the governing equations of equilibrium and all boundary conditions are derived via the variational approach. Two additional kinds of parameters, the higher-order nonlocal parameters and the nonlocal gradient length coefficients are introduced to account for the size-dependent characteristics of nonlocal gradient materials at nanoscale. To illustrate its application values, the theory is applied for wave propagation in a nonlocal strain gradient system and the new dispersion relations derived are presented through examples for wave propagating in Euler–Bernoulli and Timoshenko nanobeams. The numerical results based on the new nonlocal strain gradient theory reveal some new findings with respect to lattice dynamics and wave propagation experiment that could not be matched by both the classical nonlocal stress model and the contemporary strain gradient theory. Thus, this higher-order nonlocal strain gradient model provides an explanation to some observations in the classical and nonlocal stress theories as well as the strain gradient theory in these aspects.     

On fracture toughness of orthotropic metallic materials under cyclic loading

AVT-6 titanium alloy rolled sheet, which is initially isotropic and subject to kinematic hardening, is used as an example to analyze the effect of kinematic hardening on crack growth resistance under uniaxial cyclic loading. Crack growth resistance is characterized by the number of cycles to failure, critical crack length, and critical stress intensity factor. The subject of study is plane specimens with an edge notch. It is shown that prestrain changes the anisotropy of the specimens, which is determined as the ratio of the crack growth resistance in the rolling direction to that in the transverse direction. The crack path under a load applied at an angle to the axes of anisotropy is studied     

Stress concentration at the tip of crack

By means of the theory of nonlocal elasticity, the stress concentration is determined at the tip of crack subjected to a uniform tension perpendicular to the line of crack at infinity. The stress concentration is found to be finite and depends on the length of the crack.     

钢纤混凝土裂纹尖端应变场的实验研究

本文应用散斑干涉技术在四组含纤量分别为０，０．５％，１％，１．５％的钢纤混凝土三点弯曲裂纹试件的裂纹尖端位移场进行了测试，并换算为应变场。对钢纤混凝土开裂的基理进行了探讨；验证了最大位应变准则；并测定断裂韧度Ｊｉｃ．     

Multiscale modeling of strain-hardening cementitious composites

This research involves the multiscale characterization of strain-hardening cementitious composites under tensile loading. The sensitivity of cracking behavior to fiber dispersion is studied using a special form of lattice model, in which each fiber is explicitly represented. It is shown that the nonlocal modeling of fiber bridging forces is essential for obtaining realistic patterns of crack development and strain-hardening behavior. Crack count and crack size are simulated for progressively larger levels of tensile strain. The influence of fiber dispersion is clearly evident: regions with significantly fewer fibers act as defects, reducing strength and strain capacity of the material.     

Three-dimensional modeling of intersonic shear-crack growth in asymmetrically loaded unidirectional composite plates

An anisotropic cohesive model of fracture is applied to the numerical simulation of Coker and Rosakis experiments (2001). In these experiments, a unidirectional graphite–epoxy composites plate was impacted with a projectile, resulting in an intersonic shear-dominated crack growth. The simulations account for explicit crack nucleation––through a self-adaptive remeshing procedure––crack closure and frictional sliding. The parameters used in the cohesive model are obtained from quasi-static fracture experiments, and successfully predict the dynamic fracture behavior. In keeping with the experiments, the calculations indicate that there is a preferred intersonic speed for locally steady-state growth of dynamic shear cracks, provided that sufficient energy is supplied to the crack tip. The calculations also show that the crack tip can attain speeds in the vicinity of the longitudinal wave speed in the direction of the fibers, if impacted at higher speeds. In addition, a double-shock which emanates from a finite size contact region behind the crack tip is observed in the simulations. The predicted double-shock structure of the near-tip fields is in close agreement with the experimental observations. The calculations additionally predict the presence of a string of surface hot spots which arise following the passage of the crack tip. The observed and computed hot spot structures agree both in geometry as well as in the magnitude of the temperature elevation. The analysis thus suggests intermittent friction as the origin of the experimentally observed hot spots.     

光弹性贴片法研究钢纤维活性粉末混凝土断裂性能

采用预制裂缝的三点弯曲试件,应用光弹性贴片法研究了不同纤维掺量活性粉末混凝土RPC200的断裂性能.实验获取了光弹贴片所显示的裂缝扩展全过程,由光弹性条纹分析了不同纤维掺量试件的初裂荷载及临界有效裂缝长度的变化规律.实验表明,利用光弹性贴片法可以有效的获取钢纤维混凝土裂缝扩展的全过程;随着钢纤维掺量的增加,试件的初裂荷载和峰值荷载得到相应提高,且峰值荷载呈近似线性的增加;当纤维掺量为1%时,临界有效裂缝长度值最大;纤维掺量继续增加,其分布均匀性下降,试件的韧性降低,临界有效裂缝长度减少.     

Localisation issues in local and nonlocal continuum approaches to fracture

Continuum approaches to fracture regard crack initiation and growth as the ultimate consequences of a gradual, local loss of material integrity. The material models which are traditionally used to describe the degradation process, however, may predict premature crack initiation and instantaneous, perfectly brittle crack growth. This nonphysical response is caused by localisation instabilities due to loss of ellipticity of the governing equations and—more importantly—singularity of the damage rate at the crack tip. It is argued that this singularity results in instantaneous failure in a vanishing volume, even if ellipticity is not first lost. Adding strong nonlocality to the modelling is shown to preclude localisation instabilities and remove damage rate singularities. As a result, premature crack initiation is avoided and crack growth rates remain finite. Weak nonlocality, as provided by explicit gradient models, does not suffice for this purpose. In implementing the enhanced modelling, the crack must be excluded from the equilibrium problem and the nonlocal interactions in order to avoid unrealistic damage growth.     

A nonlocal theory for brittle fracture

In this paper, a nonlocal theory of fracture for brittle materials has been systematically developed, which is composed of the nonlocal elastic stress fields of Griffith cracks of mode-I, II and III, the asymptotic forms of the stress fields at the neighborhood of the crack tips, and the maximum tensile stress criterion for brittle fracture. As an application of the theory, the fracture criteria of cracks of mode-I, II, III and mixed mode I–II, I–III are given in detail and compared with some experimental data and the theoretical results of minimum strain energy density factor.     

Dynamic crack tip fields and dynamic crack propagation characteristics of anisotropic material

Based on mechanics of anisotropic material, the dynamic crack propagation problem of I/II mixed mode crack in an infinite anisotropic body is investigated. Expressions of dynamic stress intensity factors for modes I and II crack are obtained. Components of dynamic stress and dynamic displacements around the crack tip are derived. The strain energy density theory is used to predict the dynamic crack extension angle. The critical strain energy density is determined by the strength parameters of anisotropic materials. The obtained dynamic crack tip fields are unified and applicable to the analysis of the crack tip fields of anisotropic material, orthotropic material and isotropic material under dynamic or static load. The obtained results show Crack propagation characteristics are represented by the mechanical properties of anisotropic material, i.e., crack propagation velocity M and fiber direction α. In particular, the fiber direction α and the crack propagation velocity M give greater influence on the variations of the stress fields and displacement fields. Fracture angle is found to depend not only on the crack propagation but also on the anisotropic character of the material.     

Effects of fractal crack

Experimental results indicate that propagation paths of cracks in geomaterials are often irregular, producing rough fracture surfaces which are fractal. In this paper, crack tip motion along a fractal crack trace is discussed. A fractal kinking model of the crack extension path is established to describe irregular crack growth. The length, velocity and kinking effects of the fractal crack are analysed. A formula is derived to describe the effects of fractal crack propagation on the dynamic stress intensity factor and on crack velocity. Finally, expressions of stress and displacement fields near the fractal crack tip are given.     

Non-local theory solution for a Mode I crack in piezoelectric materials

In this paper, the non-local theory of elasticity is applied to obtain the behavior of a Griffith crack in the piezoelectric materials subjected to a uniform tension loading. The permittivity of the air in the crack is considered. By means of the Fourier transform, the problem can be solved with the help of two pairs of dual integral equations, in which the unknown variables are the jumps of the displacements across the crack surfaces. To solve the dual integral equations, the jumps of the displacements across the crack surfaces are expanded in a series of Jacobi polynomials. Numerical examples are provided to show the effects of the crack length, the materials constants, the electric boundary conditions and the lattice parameter on the stress and the electric displacement fields near the crack tips. It can be obtained that the effects of the electric boundary conditions on the electric displacement fields are large. Unlike the classical elasticity solutions, it is found that no stress and electric displacement singularities are present at the crack tips. The non-local elastic solutions yield a finite hoop stress at the crack tips, thus allowing us to use the maximum stress as a fracture criterion.