Subcritical and critical states of a crack with failure zones

The problem on the stress–strain state near a mode I crack in an infinite plate is solved in the frame of a cohesive zone model. The complex variable method of Muskhelishvili is used to obtain the crack opening displacements caused by the cohesive traction, which models the failure zone at the crack tip, as well as by the external load. The finite stress condition and logarithmic singularity of the derivative of the separation with respect to the coordinate at the tip of a physical crack are taken into account.The cohesive traction distribution is sought in a piecewise linear form, nodal values of which are being numerically chosen to satisfy the traction-separation law. According to this law, the cohesive traction is coupled with the corresponding separation and fracture toughness. The tips of the physical crack and cohesive zone (geometric variables) along with the discrete cohesive traction are used as the problem parameters determining the stress-strain state. If the crack length is included in the set, then the critical crack size can be found for the given loading intensity.The obtained determining system of equations is solved numerically. To find the initial point for a standard numerical algorithm, the asymptotic determining system is derived. In this system, the geometric variables can be easily eliminated, which make it possible to linearize the system.In the numerical examples, the one-parameter traction-separation laws are used. Influence of the shape parameters of the law on the critical crack size and the corresponding cohesive length is studied. The possibility of using asymptotic solutions for determining the critical parameters is analysed. It is established that the critical crack length slightly depends on the shape parameter, while the cohesive length shows a strong dependence on the shape of cohesive laws.     

Detonation-driven fracture in thin shell structures: Numerical studies

Detonation-driven fracture of thin structures is studied numerically by a 3D discrete crack meshfree method. These types of failure mechanisms play an important role in pipes and vessels. I therefore proposed a three-dimensional meshfree method and an efficient discrete crack model to describe crack propagation. The method is based on separation of particles similar to the visibility method but its implementation is more efficient. I assume here through-thickness cracks though the method can be extended to crack growth in arbitrary directions. The load is applied as travelling pressure wave obtained from pure fluid simulation in accordance with experimental measurements. Numerical results to experimental data show good agreement.     

Influence of Initial Stresses on Stress Intensity Factors at Crack Tips in a Composite Strip

The influence of initial tension or compression along cracks on the stress intensity factor (SIF) at crack tips under the action of additional normal forces on crack edges is studied for infinite bodies. A strip made of a composite material is considered. The strip ends are simply supported, and the strip contains a crack whose edges are parallel to its face planes. The strip is first stretched or compressed along crack edges, and then additional uniformly distributed normal forces are applied to the crack edges. The influence of the initial tension (compression) on the SIF caused by the additional normal forces is studied. The corresponding boundary-value problems are modelled with the use of the three-dimensional linearized theory of elasticity. All the investigations are carried out numerically by employing the finite-element method. The values of SIF are calculated by the energy release method.     

Analysis of extension propagation process of interface crack between belts of a radial tire using a finite element method

A radial tire is a very complex structure made from rubber elastomers and fiber–rubber composite materials. During its use, extension propagation of interface crack between belts can occur, which obviously affects its durability and life. In the present paper, a new mathematical model of extension propagation of interface crack in complex composite structures is presented. The model can reveal the extension propagation dependence of interface crack on the relative size of energy release rates at the left and right crack tips and on the interfacial material properties. The extension propagation model of interface crack, Irwin’s virtual crack close technique and the finite element analysis method are used together in simulating numerically the extension propagation process of a interface crack between belts of a radial tire. The present study numerical results show that the extension propagation model of interface crack proposed in this paper can more realistically characterize the complexity of the extension propagation process of interface crack in complex composite structures.     

Analysis of concrete fracture using a novel cohesive crack method

Numerical analysis of fracture in concrete is studied with a simplified discrete crack method. The discrete crack method is a meshless method in which the crack is modeled by discrete cohesive crack segments passing through the nodes. The cohesive crack segments govern the non-linear response of concrete in tension softening and introduce anisotropy in the material model. The advantage of the presented discrete crack method over other discrete crack method is its simplicity and applicability to many cracks. In contrast to most other discrete crack methods, no representation of the crack surface is needed. On the other hand, the accuracy of discrete crack methods is maintained. This is demonstrated through several examples.     

混凝土断裂力学虚拟裂缝模型的半解析有限元法

利用平面扇形域哈密顿体系的方程,通过分离变量法及共轭辛本征函数向量展开法,以解析的方法推导出基于混凝土断裂力学中虚拟裂缝模型的平面裂纹解析元列式．将该解析元与有限元相结合,构成半解析的有限元法,可求解任意几何形状和荷载混凝土平面裂纹的虚拟裂缝模型计算问题．数值计算结果表明方法对该类问题的求解是十分有效的,并有较高的精度．     

Cohesive zone model for a transverse breathing crack in a rotor

The breathing mechanism of a transversely cracked rotor and its influence on a rotor system that appears due to the shaft weight is studied. This breathing mechanism is based on experimental and simulation result for the crack shape reported in the literature. If the crack depth is small, the crack closure line is a straight line while for larger crack depths the crack closure becomes more curved. For both cases, a method is proposed for the evaluation of the stiffness losses in the cross section that contains the crack. This method is based on a cohesive zone model (CZM) instead of linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) approach, because LEFM is valid only for the fully open crack and cannot be extended to other intermediate situations. As the crack is closed, the stress intensity factor (SIF) will not appear at the boundary between the closed cracked areas and the open cracked areas. The CZM is developed for mode-I plane strain conditions and accounts explicitly for triaxiality of the stress state by using constitutive relations. The proposed model gives more realistic results than models based on LEFM for the stiffness losses of the crack rotor system for a wide range of the crack depth. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Investigation of the prefracture zone at the tip of a mode I crack reaching a nonsmooth interface of an elastic media

We perform calculation of the initial prefracture zone at the tip of a mode I crack that reaches a nonsmooth interface of two dissimilar elastic media at its corner point by the Wiener–Hopf method. The zone is modeled by a line of normal displacement fracture on a crack continuation. Expressions for the length of the prefracture zone and the potential energy accumulated in it are obtained. Their numerical values are compared with the corresponding values for the prefracture zone in a bonding material on the interface of the media, on the basis of which we draw a conclusion on the possible direction of development of the zone.     

采用新方法研究非局部理论中Ⅰ-型裂纹的断裂问题

采用新的方法研究非局部理论中Ⅰ_型裂纹的断裂问题,进而确定裂纹尖端的应力状态,这种方法就是Schmidt方法·　所得结果比艾林根研究同样问题的结果准确和更加合理,克服了艾林根研究同样问题时遇到的数学困难·　与经典弹性解相比,裂纹尖端不再出现物理意义上不合理的应力奇异性,并能够解释宏观裂纹与微观裂纹的力学问题·     

Development of a finite-element analysis methodology for the propagation of delaminations in composite structures

Analysing the collapse of skin-stiffened structures requires capturing the critical phenomenon of skin-stiffener separation, which can be considered analogous to interlaminar cracking. This paper presents the development of a numerical approach for simulating the propagation of interlaminar cracks in composite structures. A degradation methodology was introduced in MSC.Marc, which involved the modelling of a structure with shell layers connected by user-defined multiple-point constraints (MPCs). User subroutines were written that employ the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT) to determine the onset of crack growth and modify the properties of the user-defined MPCs to simulate crack propagation. Methodologies for the release of failing MPCs are presented and are discussed with reference to the VCCT assumption of self-similar crack growth. The numerical results obtained by using the release methodologies are then compared with experimental data for a double-cantilever beam specimen. Based on this comparison, recommendations for the future development of the degradation model are made, especially with reference to developing an approach for the collapse analysis of fuselage-representative structures. Russian translation published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 15–42, January–February, 2007.     

Identification of crack in a rotor system based on wavelet finite element method

The dynamics and diagnosis of cracked rotor have been gaining importance in recent years. In the present study a model-based crack identification method is proposed for estimating crack location and size in shafts. The rotor system has been modeled using finite element method of B-spline wavelet on the interval (FEM BSWI), while the crack is considered through local stiffness change. Based on Rayleigh beam theory, the influences of rotatory inertia on the flexural vibrations of the rotor system are examined to construct BSWI Rayleigh beam element. The slender shaft and stiffness disc are modeled by BSWI Rayleigh–Euler beam element and BSWI Rayleigh–Timoshenko beam element, respectively. Then the crack identification forward and inverse problems are solved by using surface-fitting technique and contour-plotting method. The experimental examples are given to verify the validity of the BSWI beam element for crack identification in a rotor system. From experimental results, the new method can be applied to prognosis and quantitative diagnosis of crack in a rotor system.     

Shape sensitivity of a plane crack front

The 3D‐elasticity model of a solid with a plane crack under the stress‐free boundary conditions at the crack is considered. We investigate variations of a solution and of energy functionals with respect to perturbations of the crack front in the plane. The corresponding expansions at least up to the second‐order terms are obtained. The strong derivatives of the solution are constructed as an iterative solution of the same elasticity problem with specified right‐hand sides. Using the expansion of the potential and surface energy, we consider an approximate quadratic form for local shape optimization of the crack front defined by the Griffith criterion. To specify its properties, a procedure of discrete optimization is proposed, which reduces to a matrix variational inequality. At least for a small load we prove its solvability and find a quasi‐static model of the crack growth depending on the loading parameter. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Separation of a surface crack in a spherical shell taking account of elastic deformation

We give the statement and solution of the problem of limiting equilibrium of a spherical shell weakened by a surface crack. We study the dependence of the separation of the edges of the crack on the geometric and physical parameters of the shell.     

Stress intensity factors for the Brazilian disc with a short central crack: Opening versus closing cracks

Closed form expressions are obtained for the stress intensity factors (SIFs) in case of a Brazilian disc with a short central crack, the length of which does not exceed one fifth of the disc radius. The disc is loaded by uniform radial pressure along two finite symmetric arcs of its periphery. The solution is achieved using the method of complex potentials introduced by Kolosov and Muskhelishvili. The advantage of the expressions obtained is that they are valid both for cracks under opening mode as well as for closing cracks. For the first case (opening cracks) the results of the present study are compared with existing approximate solutions and it is concluded that the agreement is excellent as long as the length of the crack remains relatively small compared to the radius of the disc. Regarding the case of a closing mode crack the procedure proposed here (based on a recent alternative approach of the cracked Brazilian disc) leads to a physically acceptable deformed crack shape instead to an unnatural crack with overlapped lips. At the same moment the dependence of the SIFs on the properties of the material is eliminated.     

Wedging of an elastic wedge by a rigid plate under conditions of contact with detaching

We consider a problem of wedging of an elastic wedge by a rigid plate along an edge crack that is located on the axis of symmetry of the wedge and reaches its vertex. The detachment of the crack faces from the surfaces of the plate is taken into account. Using the Wiener–Hopf method, we obtain an analytic solution of the problem. The size of the detachment zone, the stress intensity factor, the distribution of stresses on the line of continuation of the crack and in the contact domain, and circular displacements of the crack faces are determined.     

含圆形孔口和水平直裂纹的平面问题的应力分析

利用复变函数方法和积分方程理论研究了既含有圆形孔口又含有水平裂纹的无限大平面的平面弹性问题,将复杂的解析函数的边值问题化成了求解只在裂纹上的奇异积分方程的问题.此外,还给出了裂纹尖端附近的应力场和应力强度因子的公式.     

Numerical solution of a singular integral equation arising in a cruciform crack problem

A singular integral equation arising in a cruciform crack problem is investigated in the present paper. Based on the convex technique, the piecewise Taylor-series expansion method is extended by introducing a weight parameter. An approximate solution of the singular integral equation is constructed and its convergence and error estimate are made. The variations of the approximate solutions associating with stress intensity factors are analyzed by considering internal pressures of power and sine functions, respectively. By comparing with the known methods, the observations reveal that a good approximation can be achieved using less derivative times, less discretization points, and a suitable weight parameter. The obtained results show that the crack growth is dependent on applied mechanical loadings.     

On the peculiarities of a crack growth path in anisotropic solid

One of the possibilities to increase the resistance of a structure to catastrophic fracture is to force a main line crack to deviate from its path. In this connection the influence of the elastic moduli of an anisotropic material on the possibilities of crack rotation are studied. In particular a linear elastic problem for a straight Mode I crack, located on a symmetry axis of an orthotropic plane is considered. The strength properties of the material are supposed to be isotropic. For studying a direction of a crack growth path several crack models are considered. It is shown that a thin elongated elliptical hole as a crack model leads to more plausible results concerning crack rotation conditions than an ideal cut model. The maximal tensile stresses are taken as a crack growth criterion. It is shown that for some class of orthotropic materials a crack deviates from the straight path just after it starts to grow even in the conditions of uniaxial normal tension. The problem of the stability of a straight crack path under Mode I loading is also considered. This problem is reduced to the problem of the fracture direction determination for thin elongated elliptical cavity slightly inclined to the initial direction. In the frame of the proposed approach the conditions of instability are obtained. It is shown that for some class of orthotropic materials a straight crack path is unstable in the conditions of uniaxial normal tension. This class of materials is wider than one for which a crack deviates from the straight crack path just after its start. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Fracture by Axial Compression of a Continuous Cylinder Weakened by a Cylindrical Crack near Its Surface

Based on a nonclassical criterial approach associated with the mechanism for local loss of stability in the neighborhood of a defect, a method is proposed for solving problems related to the fracture of a compressible elastic cylinder with a cylindrical crack near its surface for large subcritical deformations. The theory of integral Fourier transforms and series expansions are used to reduce these problems to a system of paired integral equations and then to a uniform system of linear algebraic equations in the contraction parameter.     

Stress intensity factors for a finite plate with an inclined crack by boundary collocation

In this paper, we combine the Muskhelishvili＇s complex variable method and boundary collocation method, and choose a set of new stress function based on the stress boundary condition of crack surface, the higher precision and less computation are reached. This method is applied to calculating the stress intensity factor for a finite plate with an inclined crack. The influence of θ （the obliquity of crack） on the stress intensity factors, as well as the number of summation terms on the stress intensity factor are studied and graphically represented.