Elastic-viscoplastic field at mixed-mode interface crack-tip under compression and shear

For a compression-shear mixed mode interface crack, it is difficult to solve the stress and strain fields considering the material viscosity, the crack-tip singularity, the frictional effect, and the mixed loading level. In this paper, a mechanical model of the dynamic propagation interface crack for the compression-shear mixed mode is proposed using an elastic-viscoplastic constitutive model. The governing equations of propagation crack interface at the crack-tip are given. The numerical analysis is performed for the interface crack of the compression-shear mixed mode by introducing a displacement function and some boundary conditions. The distributed regularities of stress field of the interface crack-tip are discussed with several special parameters. The final results show that the viscosity effect and the frictional contact effect on the crack surface and the mixed-load parameter are important factors in studying the mixed mode interface crack- tip fields. These fields are controlled by the viscosity coefficient, the Mach number, and the singularity exponent.     

A generalised stress intensity approach to characterising the process zone in complete fretting contacts

The known analytical contact solution for the stress field induced by a rigid, square-ended punch, sliding on an elastic half-plane defines the stress state everywhere in the half-plane. An asymptotic approach is then used to determine the characteristic stress field at the edge of the contact, which is matched with the contact solution. Hence, the regions over which the asymptotic solution is valid are found. Using a method analogous to the crack-tip stress field, a generalised stress intensity factor is defined, with the aim of providing a single variable characterisation of the stress state at the punch corner. The crack initiation process zone for a fretting fatigue crack is therefore captured, and the conditions for small scale yielding explicitly found.     

Field structure at mode III dynamically propagating crack tip in elastic-viscoplastic materials

An elastic-viscoplastic mechanics model is used to investigate asymptotically the mode Ⅲ dynamically propagating crack tip field in elastic-viscoplastic materials. The stress and strain fields at the crack tip possess the same power-law singularity under a linear-hardening condition. The singularity exponent is uniquely determined by the viscosity coefficient of the material. Numerical results indicate that the motion parameter of the crack propagating speed has little effect on the zone structure at the crack tip. The hardening coefficient dominates the structure of the crack-tip field. However, the secondary plastic zone has little influence on the field. The viscosity of the material dominates the strength of stress and strain fields at the crack tip while it does have certain influence on the crack-tip field structure. The dynamic crack-tip field degenerates into the relevant quasi-static solution when the crack moving speed is zero. The corresponding perfectly-plastic solution is recovered from the linear-hardening solution when the hardening coefficient becomes zero.     

Combination of fracture and damage mechanics for numerical failure analysis

A new approach for the analysis of crack propagation in brittle materials is proposed, which is based on a combination of fracture mechanics and continuum damage mechanics within the context of the finite element method. The approach combines the accuracy of singular crack-tip elements from fracture mechanics theories with the flexibility of crack representation by softening zones in damage mechanics formulations. A super element is constructed in which the typical elements are joined together. The crack propagation is decided on either of two fracture criteria; one criterion is based on the energy release rate or the J-integral, the other on the largest principal stress in the crack-tip region. Contrary to many damage mechanics methods, the combined fracture⧹damage approach is not sensitive to variations in the finite element division. Applications to situations of mixed-mode crack propagation in both two- and three-dimensional problems reveal that the calculated crack paths are independent of the element size and the element orientation and are accurate within one element from the theoretical (curvilinear) crack paths.     

Field structure at mode Ⅲ dynamically propagating crack tip in elastic-viscoplastic materials

An elastic-viscoplastic mechanics model is used to investigate asymptotically the mode Ⅲ dynamically propagating crack tip field in elastic-viscoplastic materials. The stress and strain fields at the crack tip possess the same power-law singularity under a linear-hardening condition. The singularity exponent is uniquely determined by the viscosity coefficient of the material. Numerical results indicate that the motion parameter of the crack propagating speed has little effect on the zone structure at the crack tip. The hardening coefficient dominates the structure of the crack-tip field. However, the secondary plastic zone has little influence on the field. The viscosity of the material dominates the strength of stress and strain fields at the crack tip while it does have certain influence on the crack-tip field structure. The dynamic crack-tip field degenerates into the relevant quasi-static solution when the crack moving speed is zero. The corresponding perfectly-plastic solution is recovered from the linear-hardening solution when the hardening coefficient becomes zero.     

On the driving force for crack growth during thermal actuation of shape memory alloys

The effect of thermomechanically induced phase transformation on the driving force for crack growth in polycrystalline shape memory alloys is analyzed in an infinite center-cracked plate subjected to a thermal actuation cycle under mechanical load in plain strain. Finite element calculations are carried out to determine the mechanical fields near the static crack and the crack-tip energy release rate using the virtual crack closure technique. A substantial increase of the energy release rate – an order of magnitude for some material systems – is observed during the thermal cycle due to the stress redistribution induced by large scale phase transformation. Thus, phase transformation occurring due to thermal variations under mechanical load may result in crack growth if the crack-tip energy release rate reaches a material specific critical value.     

Dynamic curving cracks in functionally graded materials under thermo-mechanical loading

Mixed-mode dynamic crack growth along an arbitrarily smoothly varying path in functionally graded materials (FGMs) under thermo-mechanical loading is studied. The property gradation in FGMs is considered by varying shear-modulus, mass density, thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion exponentially along the gradation direction. Asymptotic analysis in conjunction with displacement potentials is used to develop the stress fields around propagating cracks in FGMs. Asymptotic temperature fields are developed first for the exponential variation of thermal conductivity and later these temperature fields are used to derive thermo-mechanical stress fields for a curving crack in FGMs. Using these thermo-mechanical stress fields, various components of the stresses are developed and the effect of curvature parameters, temperature and gradation on these stresses are discussed. Finally, using the minimum strain energy density criterion, the effect of curvature parameters, crack-tip speeds, non-homogeneity values and temperature gradients on crack growth directions are determined and discussed.     

Fatigue crack growth through residual stress fields—theoretical and experimental studies on thick-walled cylinders

Experiments are described which determined the effects of various residual stress distributions on the growth rate of fatigue cracks. For each stress distribution, the contribution (K_RS) to the net stress intensity at the crack tip is determined, and a comparison is then made with the behaviour predicted using a fracture mechanics approach based on a weight function analysis and a simple crack closure model. The example studied is a thickwalled pressure vessel containing a longitudinal crack which grows radially from the inner surface; fatigue cracks were grown under laboratory conditions in ring test specimens. sectioned from vessels which had been cold-expanded by different amounts to increase their pressure limits, and so contained various complex residual stress distributions. The experiments provide direct evidence that the effects of residual stress (and by extension, thermal stress) on the crack tip stress intensity may be modelled conveniently using weight function techniques, and can be incorporated satisfactorily in fatigue crack growth analyses.     

Asymptotic analysis of transient curved crack in functionally graded materials

Transient mixed-mode elastodynamic crack growth along arbitrary smoothly varying paths in functionally graded materials (FGMs) is considered. The property gradation in FGMs is considered by varying shear modulus and mass density exponentially along the gradation direction. Crack tip out of plane displacement fields and their gradients are developed for propagating curved cracks of arbitrary velocity using asymptotic approach. The mode-mixity due to the inclination of curved crack with respect to property gradient is accommodated in the analysis through superposition of the opening and shear modes. The expansion of the displacement fields and their gradients around the crack-tip are derived in powers of radial coordinates with the coefficients of expansion depending on the instantaneous value of the local curvature of the crack path, time derivatives of crack-tip speed, and time derivative of mode-I and mode-II stress intensity factors. The effect of the transient terms instantaneous local curvature, crack-tip speed, time derivatives of crack-tip speed, and time derivative of mode-I and mode-II stress intensity factors on the contours of constant out of plane displacement are also discussed.     

A crack on the grain boundary — An analysis based on crystal plasticity theory

The influence of the mismatch of the lattice orientation on the deformation and stress fields of a crack located on the grain boundary is studied by means of the finite-element analysis taking account of finite deformatio and finite lattice rotation. The plane strain calculations for an fcc crystal subjected to mode I loading are performed on the basis of the crystalline plasticity described by a planar three-slip model. For the crack-tip shapes and the dominant deformation modes on slip systems, results of all the cases analysed here are in qualitative agreement with the earlier analytical and numerical solutions. Our results indicate that the lattice orientation difference may greatly influence the shear stress along the grain boundary which is related to grain-boundary sliding, while the normal stress along the grain boundary, which may induce cleavage fracture, is virtually insensitive to it. The influence of the lattice orientations on the crack-tip fields is also investigated under small-scale-yielding conditions and the comparison with the results of finite deformation is made.     

Applicability of the crack faces thermoelectric boundary conditions for thermopiezoelectric materials

The applicability and effect of the crack surfaces thermoelectric boundary conditions in thermopiezoelectric fracture mechanics problem are discussed by using the finite thickness notch approach. The stress and electric displacement intensity factors at the notch tips, and thermal flux and electric displacement inside the notch are derived in closed-form. The numerical results are compared with the ideal crack solutions. It is found that the electrically impermeable crack boundary condition assumption is reasonable if the flaw in the material is a notch with finite width, and the thermal conductivity of air or vacuum inside the crack must be considered.     

Interface crack-tip generalized stress field and stress intensity factors in transversely isotropic piezoelectric bimaterials

Transversely isotropic piezoelectric (TIP) bimaterials with an impermeable interface crack have been classified [Int. J. Frac. 119 (2003) L41] into two classes corresponding to the vanishing of the two singularity parameters or κ. It is shown in the present paper that the related eigenvalue problems for either =0 or κ=0 are not degenerate. The crack-tip generalized stress fields are obtained subsequently. A new definition of crack-tip intensity factors is presented for interface cracks in practical TIP bimaterial of practical interest. Such defined intensity factors are real numbers, which dominate the maximum crack-tip stress singularity and do not generate any phase angle change under any dimension system transformation for physical quantities.     

Higher order fields for damaged nonlinear antiplane shear notch, crack and inclusion problems

Damaged nonlinear antiplane shear problems with a variety of singularities are studied analytically. A deformation plasticity theory coupled with damage is employed in analysis. The effect of microscopic damage is considered in terms of continuum damage mechanics approach. An exact solution for the general damaged nonlinear singular antiplane shear problem is derived in the stress plane by means of a hodograph transformation, then corresponding higher order asymptotic solutions are obtained by reversing the stress plane solution to the physical plane. As example, traction free sharp notch and crack, rigid sharp wedge and flat inclusion, and mixed boundary sharp notch problems are investigated, respectively. Consequently, higher order fields are obtained, in which analytical expressions of the dominant and second order singularity exponents and angular distribution functions of the near tip fields are derived. Effects of the damage and hardening exponents of materials and the geometric angle of notch/wedge on the near tip quantities are discussed in detail. It is found that damage leads to a weaker dominant singularity of stress, but to little stronger singularities of the dominant and second order terms of strain compared to that for undamaged material. It is also seen that damage has important effect on the angular distribution functions of the near tip stress and strain fields. As special cases, higher order analytical solutions of the crack and rigid flat inclusion tip fields are obtained, respectively, by reducing the notch/wedge tip solutions. Effects of damage and hardening exponents on the dominant and second order terms in the solutions of the crack and inclusion tip fields are discussed.     

Dynamics of crack penetration vs. branching at a weak interface: An experimental study

In this paper, the dynamic crack-interface interactions and the related mechanics of crack penetration vs. branching at a weak interface are studied experimentally. The interface is oriented perpendicular to the incoming mode-I crack in an otherwise homogeneous bilayer. The focus of this investigation is on the effect of interface location and the associated crack-tip parameters within the bilayer on the mechanics of the ensuing fracture behavior based on the optical methodologies laid down in Ref. Sundaram and Tippur (2016). Time-resolved optical measurement of crack-tip deformations, velocity and stress intensity factor histories in different bilayer configurations is performed using Digital Gradient Sensing (DGS) technique in conjunction with high-speed photography. The results show that the crack path selection at the interface and subsequently the second layer are greatly affected by the location of the interface within the geometry. Using optically measured fracture parameters, the mechanics of crack penetration and branching are explained. Counter to the intuition, a dynamically growing mode-I approaching a weak interface at a lower velocity and stress intensity factor penetrates the interface whereas a higher velocity and stress intensity factor counterpart gets trapped by the interface producing branched daughter cracks until they kink out into the next layer. An interesting empirical observation based on measured crack-tip parameters for crack penetration and branching is also made.     

数字梯度敏感方法及其在航空透明件断裂力学中的应用

本文将数字梯度敏感方法用于航空透明件断裂力学问题研究。首先,基于透明材料的弹性-光学效应,建立了透明件应力状态与光线穿过透明件后的偏转角之间的关系。在平面应力假设下,利用最小二乘拟合建立了I型裂纹尖端应力强度因子与光学偏转角的关系。其次,通过数字梯度敏感方法搭建非接触光学测试平台,开展了带单边裂纹的航空有机玻璃试件三点弯曲实验,应用数字梯度敏感方法提取了I型裂纹尖端应力强度因子。最后,通过选择不同计算子区域和步长大小,分析了数字梯度敏感方法中的子区域和步长选择对计算结果的影响。研究结果表明,数字梯度敏感方法实验所得应力强度因子与经验公式计算所得结果偏差小于10%,通过增加最小二乘拟合项数以及合理的子区域和步长选择可以减小数字梯度敏感方法计算应力强度因子误差。     

正交异性材料平面裂纹尖端应力场

根据正交各向异性材料力学性能确定出了用应力函数表示的弹性力学基本方程,利用坐标变换和复变函数方法求解了正交异性材料平面裂纹体的应力边值问题。借鉴一般断裂力学解法构造了I型和II型裂纹问题的应力函数,推导出了正交各向异性板裂纹尖端区的奇异应力场。通过数值计算说明了裂纹尖端应力表达式的正确性,验证了裂尖前沿应力变化规律,即σx与材料特征参数h2成正比,而σy和τxy不随材料特性变化。     

Effect of constraint induced by crack depth on creep crack-tip stress field in CT specimens

In this paper, the effect of constraint induced by the crack depth on creep crack-tip stress field in compact tension (CT) specimens is examined by finite element analysis, and the effect of creep deformation and damage on the Hutchinson–Rice–Rosengren (HRR) singularity stress field are discussed. The results show the constraint induced by crack depth causes the difference in crack-tip opening stress distributions between the specimens with different crack depth at the same C*. The maximum opening stress appears at a distance from crack tips, and the stress singularity near the crack tips does not exist due to the crack-tip blunting caused by the large creep deformation in the vicinity of the crack tips. The actual stress calculated by the finite element method (FEM) in front of crack tip is significantly lower than that predicted by the HRR field. Based on the reference stress field in the deep crack CT specimen with high constraint, a new constraint parameter R is defined and the constraint effect in the shallow crack specimen is examined at different distances ahead of the crack tip from transient to steady-state creep conditions. During the early stages of creep constraint increases with time, and then approaches a steady state value as time increases. With increasing the distance from crack tips and applied load, the negative R increases and the constraint decreases.     

Intersonic crack propagation along interfaces: Experimental observations and analysis

The isochromatic fringe patterns surrounding an intersonically propagating interface crack are developed and characterized using the recently developed stress field equations. A parametric investigation is conducted to study the influence of various parameters such as the crack-tip velocity and the contact coefficient on the isochromatic fringe patterns. It has been observed that the crack-tip velocity has a significant effect on the size and shape of isochromatic fringe patterns. The contact coefficient, on the other hand, does not affect the fringe pattern significantly. The paper also presents a numerical scheme to extract various parameters of interest such as the series coefficients of the stress field, the contact coefficient and the dissipation energy. The results show that the crack growth is highly unstable in the intersonic regime, and the energy dissipation decreases monotonically with increasing crack-tip velocity. The experimental data fit well with the recently proposed fracture criterion for intersonic interfacial fracture.     

弹塑性双材料界面裂纹尖端场的渐近分析和位移匹配

本文对两种硬化指数的弹塑性材料界面裂纹尖端场进行了分析。通过对渐近场的计算，讨论了尖端场位移匹配问题和一阶静水压力场的存在，使应力解更加完备。