AN EFFECTIVE BOUNDARY ELEMENT METHOD FOR ANALYSIS OF CRACK PROBLEMS IN A PLANE ELASTIC PLATE

A simple and effective boundary element method for stress intensity factor calculation for crack problems in a plane elastic plate is presented. The boundary element method consists of the constant displacement discontinuity element presented by Crouch and Starfield and the crack-tip displacement discontinuity elements proposed by YAN Xiangqiao. In the boundary element implementation the left or the right crack-tip displacement discontinuity element was placed locally at the corresponding left or right each crack tip on top of the constant displacement discontinuity elements that cover the entire crack surface and the other boundaries. Test examples (i. e. , a center crack in an infinite plate under tension, a circular hole and a crack in an infinite plate under tension) are included to illustrate that the numerical approach is very simple and accurate for stress intensity factor calculation of plane elasticity crack problems. In addition, specifically, the stress intensity factors of branching cracks emanating from a square hole in a rectangular plate under biaxial loads were analysed. These numerical results indicate the present numerical approach is very effective for calculating stress intensity factors of complex cracks in a 2-D finite body, and are used to reveal the effect of the biaxial loads and the cracked body geometry on stress intensity factors.     

INTERACTION OF THREE PARALLEL CRACKS IN RECTANGULAR PLATE UNDER CYCLIC LOADS

This paper presents a numerical approach for modeling the interaction between multiple cracks in a rectangular plate under cyclic loads. It involves the formulation of fatigue growth of multiple crack tips under ruixed-mode loading and an extension of a hybrid displacement discontinuity method （a boundary element method） to fatigue crack growth analyses. Because of an intrinsic feature of the boundary element method, a general growth problem of multiple cracks can be solved in a single-region formulation. In the numerical simulation, remeshing of existing boundaries is not necessary for each increment of crack extension. Crack extension is conveniently modeled by adding new boundary elements on the incremental crack extension to the previous crack boundaries. As an example, the numerical approach is used to analyze the fatigue growth of three parallel cracks in a rectangular plate. The numerical results illustrate the validation of the numerical approach and can reveal the effect of the geometry of the cracked plate on the fatigue growth.     

Analysis of multiple interfacial cracks in three-dimensional bimaterials using hypersingular integro-differential equation method

By using the concept of finite-part integral, a set of hypersingular integro-differential equations for multiple interracial cracks in a three-dimensional infinite bimaterial subjected to arbitrary loads is derived. In the numerical analysis, unknown displacement discontinuities are approximated with the products of the fundamental density functions and power series. The fundamental functions are chosen to express a two-dimensional interface crack rigorously. As illustrative examples, the stress intensity factors for two rectangular interface cracks are calculated for various spacing, crack shape and elastic constants. It is shown that the stress intensity factors decrease with the crack spacing.     

Thermoelastic analysis of multiple defects with the extended finite element method

In this paper, the extended finite element method (XFEM) is adopted to analyze the interaction between a sin-gle macroscopic inclusion and a single macroscopic crack as well as that between multiple macroscopic or micro-scopic defects under thermal/mechanical load. The effects of different shapes of multiple inclusions on the material thermomechanical response are investigated, and the level set method is coupled with XFEM to analyze the interaction of multiple defects. Further, the discretized extended finite element approximations in relation to thermoelastic prob-lems of multiple defects under displacement or temperature field are given. Also, the interfaces of cracks or materials are represented by level set functions, which allow the mesh assignment not to conform to crack or material interfaces. Moreover, stress intensity factors of cracks are obtained by the interaction integral method or the M-integral method, and the stress/strain/stiffness fields are simulated in the case of multiple cracks or multiple inclusions. Finally, some numer-ical examples are provided to demonstrate the accuracy of our proposed method.     

ZONAL DISINTEGRATION MECHANISM OF DEEP CRACK-WEAKENED ROCK MASSES UNDER DYNAMIC UNLOADING

Size and quantity of fractured zone and non-fractured zone are controlled by cracks contained in deep rock masses. Zonal disintegration mechanism is strongly dependent on the interaction among cracks. The strong interaction among cracks is investigated using stress superposition principle and the Chebyshev polynomials expansion of the pseudo-traction. It is found from numerical results that crack nucleation, growth and coalescence lead to failure of deep crack- weakened rock masses. The stress redistribution around the surrounding rock mass induced by unloading excavation is studied. The effect of the excavation time on nucleation, growth, interaction and coalescence of cracks was analyzed. Moreover, the influence of the excavation time on the size and quantity of fractured zone and non-fractured zone was given. When the excavation time is short, zonal disintegration phenomenon may occur in deep rock masses. It is shown from numerical results that the size and quantity of fractured zone increase with decreasing excavation time, and the size and quantity of fractured zone increase with the increasing value of in-situ geostress.     

PLANE ELASTIC PROBLEM ON RIGID LINES ALONG CIRCULAR INCLUSION

The plane elastic problem of circular-arc rigid line inclusions is considered. The model is subjected to remote general loads and concentrated force which is applied at an arbitrary point inside either the matrix or the circular inclusion. Based on complex variable method, the general solutions of the problem were derived. The closed form expressions of the sectionally holomorphic complex potentials and the stress fields were derived for the case of the interface with a single rigid line. The exact expressions of the singular stress fields at the rigid line tips were calculated which show that they possess a pronounced oscillatory character similar to that for the corresponding crack problem under plane loads. The influence of the rigid line geometry, loading conditions and material mismatch on the stress singularity coefficients is evaluated and discussed for the case of remote uniform load.     

SINGLE AND DOUBLE EDGE INTERFACE CRACK SOLUTIONS FOR ARBITRARY FORMS OF MATERIAL COMBINATION

In this paper interfacial edge crack problems are considered by the application of the finite element method. The stress intensity factors are accurately determined from the ratio of crack-tip-stress value between the target given unknown and reference problems. The reference problem is chosen to produce the singular stress fields proportional to those of the given unknown problem. Here the original proportional method is improved through utilizing very refined meshes and post-processing technique of linear extrapolation. The results for a double-edge interface crack in a bonded strip are newly obtained and compared with those of a single-edge interface crack for different forms of combination of material. It is found that the stress intensity factors should be compared in the three different zones of relative crack lengths. Different from the case of a cracked homogeneous strip, the results for the double edge interface cracks are found to possibly be bigger than those for a single edge interface crack under the same relative crack length.     

BOUNDARY ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF INTERACTIONBETWEEN AN ELASTIC RECTANGULARINCLUSION AND A CRACK

The interaction between an elastic rectangular inclusion and a kinked crack inan infinite elastic body was considered by using boundary element method. The new complexboundary integral equations were derived. By introducing a complex unknown function H(t)related to the interface displacement density and traction and applying integration by parts,the traction continuous condition was satisfied automatically. Only one complex boundaryintegral equation was obtained on interface and involves only singularity of order l/ r. Toverify the validity and effectiveness of the present boundary element method, some typicalexamples were calculated. The obtained results show that the crack stress intensity factorsdecrease as the shear modulus of inclusion increases. Thus, the crack propagation is easiernear a softer inclusion and the harder inclusion is helpful for crack arrest.     

Strip-coalesced interior zone model for two unequal collinear cracks weakening piezoelectric media

In this paper, a mathematical strip-saturation model is proposed for a poled transversely isotropic piezoelectric plate weakened by two impermeable unequal-collinear hairline straight cracks. Remotely applied in-plane unidirectional electromechanical loads open the cracks in mode-I such that the saturation zone developed at the interior tips of cracks gets coalesced. The developed saturation zones are arrested by distributing over their rims in-plane normal cohesive electrical displacement. The problem is solved using the Stroh formalism and the complex variable technique. The expressions are derived for the stress intensity factors （SIFs）, the lengths of the saturation zones developed, the crack opening displacement （COD）, and the energy release rate. An illustrative numerical case study is presented for the poled PZT-5H ceramic to investigate the effect of prescribed electromechanical loads on parameters affecting crack arrest. Also, the effect of different lengths of cracks on the SIFs and the local energy release rate （LERR） has been studied. The results obtained are graphically presented and analyzed.     

THERMAL FRACTURE OF FUNCTIONALLY GRADED PLATE WITH PARALLEL SURFACE CRACKS

This work examines the fracture behavior of a functionally graded material （FGM） plate containing parallel surface cracks with alternating lengths subjected to a thermal shock. The thermal stress intensity factors （TSIFs） at the tips of long and short cracks are calculated using a singular integral equation technique. The critical thermal shock △Tc that causes crack initiation is calculated using a stress intensity factor criterion. Numerical examples of TSIFs and △Tc for an Al2O3/Si3N4 FGM plate are presented to illustrate the effects of thermal property gradation, crack spacing and crack length ratio on the TSIFs and △Tc. It is found that for a given crack length ratio, the TSIFs at the tips of both long and short cracks can be reduced significantly and △Tc can be enhanced by introducing appropriate material gradation. The TSIFs also decrease dramatically with a decrease in crack spacing. The TSIF at the tips of short cracks may be higher than that for the long cracks under certain crack geometry conditions. Hence, the short cracks instead of long cracks may first start to grow under the thermal shock loading.     

考虑裂隙间相互作用情况下围压卸荷过程应力应变关系

岩体的稳定性和变形特性主要决定于裂隙，同时裂隙间的相互作用对岩体的稳定和变形产生显著的影响。裂隙岩体在加载和卸荷条件下的力学特性有显著的区别。为此本文首次利用位错模型法结合叠加原理研究在围压卸荷条件下裂隙间的相互作用对岩体的变形的影响问题。文中推导了考虑裂隙间的相互作用情况下裂隙岩体围压卸荷过程的应力应变关系及应力强度因子表达式，且进行了数值计算。     

动力荷载对围压卸载下岩石动态变形模量的影响

利用SHPB岩石动静组合加载实验系统,研究在不同轴压水平下围压以1 MPa/s速率卸载至预加值50%时矽卡岩受频繁冲击作用的动态变形模量变化规律。实验结果表明:高轴压促使岩石内部微裂纹萌发与扩展,降低了岩石抵抗外部冲击的能力。围压的侧向约束阻碍岩石内部裂纹的横向扩展,但在围压卸载时会加剧岩石内部的损伤,这是由于高轴压下,围压卸载导致岩石内部应力重新分布。轴压与围压卸载共同影响着冲击作用下的岩石动态变形模量,通过岩样在冲击荷载下的能量耗散分析岩石动态变形模量的变化规律,有助于了解深部岩体开挖的破坏机制。     

Simulation of ground stress field and fracture anticipation with effect of pore pressure

Triaxial compression tests are carried out on the cores with different confining pressure and pore pressure to study the rupture mode and fracture distribution of carbonate rocks in Kenkiyak pre-salt oilfield, and the cores are made into thin sections after experiment. It shows that shear plane, high angle crack, conjugate shear cracks and net fractures will gradually appear with the effective confining pressure, the rock texture is damaged more and more seriously with the increase of effective confining pressure. Tectonic stress field in Kenkiyak Field is simulated by finite element numerical simulation software ADINA considering the effect of pore pressure, this model contains five faults and assumes that two planes of faults could slip with the force to decompress. The simulation results indicate that the total displacement coincides with the practical formation, the simulated tectonic stress fits with the values measured by acoustic emission testing, and the direction of major horizontal principal stress is consistent with the imaging log interpretation data. The fracture rupture rate and density are predicted according to tension and shear rupture rate which derived by simulation results. The fracture density varies widely in the simulated region and cracks develop easily on the structural high position, near the fault because of the increasing pore pressure and extrusion in the process of the tectonic movements.     

An accurate and fast analysis for strongly interacting multiple crack configurations including kinked (V) and branched (Y) cracks

In this study, multiple interacting cracks in an infinite plate are analyzed to determine the overall stress field as well as stress intensity factors for crack tips and singular wedges at crack kinks. The problem is formulated using integral equations expressed in terms of unknown edge dislocation distributions along crack lines. These distributions derive from an accurate representation of the crack opening displacements using power series basis terms obtained through wedge eigenvalue analysis, which leads to both polynomial and non-polynomial power series. The process is to choose terms of the series and their exponents such that the tractions on the crack faces are virtually zero compared to the far field loading. Applying the method leads to a set of linear algebraic equations to solve for the unknown weighting coefficients for the power series basis terms. Since no numerical integration is required unlike in other methods, in most cases, solution takes just a few seconds on a PC. The accuracy and efficiency of the method are first demonstrated with a simple example of three aligned cracks with small ligaments between their tips under tensile loading. The results are compared to exact results as well as to those of other numerical methods, including recent FIE, FEM and BEM approaches said to have fast computation times. Thereafter, some new and challenging crack interaction problems including branched Y-cracks, two kinked V-cracks are solved. From a parametric study of the various crack configurations, stress intensity factors are graphed and tabulated to demonstrate subtleties in the magnitudes of the crack interactions.     

磁电热弹耦合材料三维多裂纹超奇异积分法

用超奇异积分方程法将多场耦合载荷作用下磁电热弹耦合材料内含任意形状 和位置三维多裂纹问题转化为求解一以广义位移间断为未知函数的超奇异积分方程组问题， 退化得到内含任意形状平行三维多裂纹问题的超奇异积分方程组；推导出平行三维多裂纹问 题的裂纹前沿广义奇异应力场解析表达式、定义了广义(应力、应变能)强度因子和广义能量 释放率；应用有限部积分概念及体积力法，为超奇异积分方程组建立了数值求解方法，编制 了FORTRAN程序，以平行双裂纹为例，通过典型算例，研究了广义(应力、应变能)强度因子 随裂纹位置、裂纹形状及材料参数变化规律，得到裂纹断裂评定准则. 最后，分析了裂纹间 干扰、屏蔽作用及其在工程实际中的应用.     

脆性固体碎裂过程中的最快卸载特性

脆性固体在高应变率拉伸过程中常破碎为多块碎片.论文通过一个一维理论模型,研究动态脆性碎裂过程中固体内部载荷卸载规律,以及碎片尺度的计算方法.假设一维固体中裂纹等间距分布、同时起裂,研究均匀应变率拉伸作用下裂纹阵列的扩张过程.采用线弹性波动方程组描述未断裂固体的动力学关系,采用粘滞断裂模型(cohesive fracture model)描述裂纹的扩张行为,形成完整的初边值问题.采用沿特征线的有限差分计算格式求解控制方程组,得到固体在碎裂过程不同时刻下单位裂纹体内部的应力分布曲线,以及单位裂纹体平均应力随时间的变化规律,确定单位裂纹体达到完全断裂所需要的时间.在给定应变率下,分析不同裂纹间距下的碎裂卸载时间,以及使单位裂纹体以最快速度完全卸载所对应的最佳裂纹间距,并以此间距估算脆性固体在自然动态碎裂过程中的平均碎片尺度.进一步研究了具有不同粘滞性断裂特性的脆性固体的碎片尺度计算数值的差异.     

A computational study of local stress intensity factor solutions for kinked cracks near spot welds in lap-shear specimens

In this paper, the local stress intensity factor solutions for kinked cracks near spot welds in lap-shear specimens are investigated by finite element analyses. Based on the experimental observations of kinked crack growth mechanisms in lap-shear specimens under cyclic loading conditions, three-dimensional and two-dimensional plane-strain finite element models are established to investigate the local stress intensity factor solutions for kinked cracks emanating from the main crack. Semi-elliptical cracks with various kink depths are assumed in the three-dimensional finite element analysis. The local stress intensity factor solutions at the critical locations or at the maximum depths of the kinked cracks are obtained. The computational local stress intensity factor solutions at the critical locations of the kinked cracks of finite depths are expressed in terms of those for vanishing kink depth based on the global stress intensity factor solutions and the analytical kinked crack solutions for vanishing kink depth. The three-dimensional finite element computational results show that the critical local mode I stress intensity factor solution increases and then decreases as the kink depth increases. When the kink depth approaches to 0, the critical local mode I stress intensity factor solution appears to approach to that for vanishing kink depth based on the global stress intensity factor solutions and the analytical kinked crack solutions for vanishing kink depth. The two-dimensional plane-strain computational results indicate that the critical local mode I stress intensity factor solution increases monotonically and increases substantially more than that based on the three-dimensional computational results as the kink depth increases. The local stress intensity factor solutions of the kinked cracks of finite depths are also presented in terms of those for vanishing kink depth based on the global stress intensity factor solutions and the analytical kinked crack solutions for vanishing kink depth. Finally, the implications of the local stress intensity factor solutions for kinked cracks on fatigue life prediction are discussed.