Direction of crack growth initiation in roller contact: strain energy density criterion

Small defects or cracks near the surface of roller contact could spread and lead to failure at large. Their growth behavior depends on the rolling load, size and orientation of the initial defects, and material property in addition to friction at the contacting surfaces. Stress intensity factors K₁and K₂ are obtained for three different crack types near the surface between the roller and contacting solid. Various possible directions of crack growth initiation are obtained as the different roller loads are moved relative to the crack. The results are indicative of railway failure observed in service and are helpful to future studies on subcritical and/or critical crack growth.     

Stable growth of a crack interacting with a circular inclusion

The problem of failure of a plate containing a circular inclusion and a crack is studied. The crack is oriented along a diameter of the inclusion and the plate is subjected to a remote uniaxial stress perpendicular to the crack axis. The process of slow stable crack growth from initiation to termination is studied by the strain energy density theory. The crack growth is simulated by predicting finite increments of crack extension when material elements near the crack tip absorb a critical amount of strain energy density level, . Unstable crack growth occurs when the strain energy density factor S reaches a critical value where r_c is the critical size of the final crack increment prior to instability. The stress at crack initiation and the critical stress and crack length at failure are determined. The influence of the mechanical properties of the plate and the inclusion, the relative position of the inclusion and the crack and the crack length on the characteristic quantities of stable crack growth is analyzed. The dependence of the stable crack growth process on the loading rate is also investigated. Results are displayed in graphical form.     

A combined fatigue crack initiation and propagation specimen—its initial development

The investigation detailed in this paper involves the initial design and development of a specimen geometry, designated as a BN(T) specimen, that is suitable for the combined determination of: (a) the fatigue crack initiation; and (b) the fatigue crack propagation, characteristics of materials. The experimental procedure developed during the course of this investigation is applied to a Ti---6Al-4V titanium alloy. This crack initiation and propagation test involves the use of the BN(T) compact-tension specimen with a polished notch root that facilitates an in-situ replication technique for the detection of crack initiation, and a modification of the ASTM-E647 Standard for crack growth data acquisition. The stress intensity factors, K_I, associated with the BN(T) specimen are established in this paper by means of a numerical finite element investigation. The use of this unique specimen for fatigue testing gives very satisfactory results and its extended use is expected.     

A damage model for crack initiation and growth

A damage accumulation model is presented for the study of the problem of crack initiation and stable growth in an elastic-plastic material. A centre-cracked specimen subjected to a uniform stress perpendicular to the crack plane is considered. A coupled stress and failure analysis is performed by using a finite element computer program based on J₂-plasticity theory in conjunction with the strain energy density theory. After initial yielding, each material element follows a different equivalent uniaxial stress-strain behavior depending on the amount of energy dissipation by permanent deformation. A host of uniaxial stress-strain curves constituting parts of the same stress-strain curve were assigned to material elements for each increment of loading. The path-dependent nature of the onset of crack initiation and growth was revealed. The proposed model predicts faster crack growth rates than those obtained on the basis of a single uniaxial stress-strain curve and is closer to experimental observation.     

Flexural fatigue behavior of threaded connections for large diameter pipes

Full-scale flexural fatigue tests were conducted to investigate the fatigue behavior of a patented threaded connection for large diameter (0.61 m (24 in) outside diameter, 25.4 mm (1 in) wall thickness) offshore pipes. Fifteen fatigue tests were performed by subjecting the threaded connection to constant amplitude stress ranges (between 69 MPa (10 ksi) and 151.8 MPa (22 ksi) on gross cross section) with zero mean stress. The corresponding measured fatigue lives varied from 45000 to 4852200 cycles. Fatigue failures were in the form of cracks through the thickness of the wall and located at the root of the first full contact thread. The failure surfaces were ‘typical’ with identifiable zones of crack initiation, propagation and fracture. Linear regression analysis of the experimental results, namely the applied stress range (S _r ) and the measured number of cycles to failure (N) data, in the log-log domain gave anR ² value of 0.88 and the least-squares best fit equation asS _r (MPa)=1573.2N ^−0.212. The 90% probable fatigue strength prediction equation was estimated asS _r =1393.8N ^−0.212. This equation is recommended for design purposes.     

Effect of humidity and R-ratio on the near threshold fatigue crack growth of two granular bainitic microstructures

The present report has shown that in ferrite-martensite microstructures, the relative humidity of an air environment can affect both the near threshold fatigue crack growth behaviour and the intermediate Stage II fatigue characteristics. The magnitude of the threshold stress intensity, ΔK_th, was not affected by relative humidity and the significant effect of R-ratio on ΔK_th was suitably demonstrated.The relative humidity affected the nature of both the subcritical static failure mode and the final stage III static failure mode. A direct relationship between the degree of fatigue crack growth enhancement and the extent of transgranular cleavage was evidenced.     

Non-self-similar crack growth in elastic-plastic finite thickness plate

This work is concerned with non-self-similar crack growth in medium strength metal plates while the loading step, plate thickness and material properties are altered. The three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element stress analysis is combined with the strain energy density criterion for modeling the material damage process from crack initiation to final global instability including the intervening stage of slow crack growth. Both inelastic deformation and crack growth are accounted for each increment of loading such that the redistribution of stresses and strains are made for each new crack profile. Numerical results are obtained for the center cracked plate configuration under uniform extension with twenty-seven (27) different combinations of specimen thickness, loading step and material type. The fracture toughness S_c being related to K_1c for three different materials are predicted analytically from the corresponding uniaxial tensile test data. Effective strain energy density factor and half crack length are defined so that the results can be compared with their two-dimensional counterparts. Crack growth resistance curves (R-curves) are constructed by plotting as a function of . The condition is found to prevail during slow crack growth. Translation and/or rotation of the lines can yield results other than those calculated and serve a useful purpose for scaling component size and test time. The minimum thickness requirement for the ASTM valid K_1c test is also discussed in connection with predictions based on the strain energy density criterion. The corresponding K_1c for smaller specimens that exhibit moderate ductility and nonlinearity can also be obtained analytically. In such cases, the influence of loading step can be significant and should not be neglected. Notwithstanding the shortcomings of the theory of plasticity, the qualitative features of non-self-similar crack growth are predicted by the strain energy density criterion. Any refinements on the analytical modeling of the material damage process would only affect the results qualitatively, a subject that is left for future investigation.     

含缺口试件疲劳全寿命预测一种建议的方法

传统的研究含缺口构件的疲劳的方法是将疲劳启裂和疲劳裂纹扩展两个过程完全独立起来,用不同的方法来模拟,相互间并没有定量的关系。本文是基于最新发展的多轴疲劳损伤理论,建立了一种适用于各种载荷条件下的疲劳启裂和裂纹扩展的普适方法。根据从弹塑性分析中得到的应力应变,确定疲劳损伤模型,建立能够预测疲劳启裂、裂纹扩展速率和扩展方向的新方法。整个模拟可以分为两步:弹-塑性应力分析得到材料的应力应变分布;再运用一个通用的疲劳准则预测疲劳裂纹启裂和裂纹扩展。通过对1070号钢含缺口试件的疲劳全寿命预测,得到了与实验非常吻合的模拟结果。     

Damage accumulation and crack growth in bilinear materials with softening: Application of strain energy density theory

A pseudo-elastic damage-accumulation model is developed by application of the strain energy density theory. The three-point bending specimen is analyzed to illustrate the crack growth characteristics according to a linear elastic softening constitutive law that is typical of concrete materials. Damage accumulation is accounted for by the decrease of elastic modulus and fracture toughness. Both of these effects are assessed by means of the strain energy density functions in the elements around a slowly moving crack. The rate of change of the strain energy density factor S with crack growth as expressed by the relation dS/da = constant is shown to describe the failure behavior of concrete. Results are obtained for different loading steps that yield different slopes of lines in an S versus a (crack length) plot. The lines rotate about the common intersect in an anti-clockwise direction as the load steps are increased. The intersect shifts upward according to increase in the specimen size. In this way, the combined interaction of material properties, load steps and specimen geometry and size are easily analyzed in terms of the failure mode or behavior that can change from the very brittle to the ductile involving stable crack growth. An upper limit on specimen or structural size is established beyond which stable crack growth ceases to occur and failure corresponds to unstable crack propagation or catastrophic fracture. The parameters that control the failure mode are the threshold values of the strain energy density function (dW/dV)_c and the strain energy density factor S_c.     

Constant amplitude and variable load history fatigue test results and predictions for cruciform and lap welds

Cruciform and lap welds were fatigue tested under constant amplitude axial load and SAE Bracket spectrum load conditions. For the cruciform joints, fatigue cracks generally initiate at the root but may initiate at the toe if higher bending stresses are induced by joint distortion. For lap welds, the stress ratio ($\text{R}$) and weld shape are the major factors influencing the fatigue crack initiation site.The fatigue test results were compared with predictions made using an analytical model developed by the authors, and good agreement between experiment and theory was observed. The model for the predictions assumes that the fatigue crack initiation period, which is the number of cycles for the initiation of a fatigue crack and its early growth and coalescence into a dominant fatigue crack, is the main portion of the total fatigue life at long lives.     

Bifurcation condition of crack pattern in the periodic rectangular array

Bifurcation condition of crack pattern in the periodic rectangular array plays an important role in determining the final failure pattern of rock material. An approximation for the critical crack size/spacing ratio is established for a uniformly growing periodic rectangular array yields to a non-uniform growing pattern of crack growth. Numerical results show that the critical crack size/spacing ratio λ_cr depends on the number of cracks, the crack spacing, the perpendicular distance between two adjacent rows, as well as the loading conditions. In general, λ_cr increases with the number of lines. It is observed that the critical crack size/spacing ratio λ_cr for the periodic rectangular array decreases with an increase in the perpendicular distance between two adjacent rows. It is clear that the critical crack size/spacing ratio λ_cr for the periodic rectangular array under shear stress increases with increasing the crack spacing.     

An Experimental Study of Mixed Mode Crack Initiation and Growth in Functionally Graded Materials

Quasi-static mixed mode crack initiation and growth in functionally graded materials (FGMs) was studied through fracture experiments on polymer-based FGMs manufactured by selective ultraviolet irradiation poly(ethylene carbon monoxide)—a photo-sensitive copolymer that becomes more brittle and stiffer under ultraviolet irradiation. The objective of the study was to determine whether crack kinking criteria for homogeneous materials, e.g., maximum hoop stress criterion, also hold for FGMs. Single edge notched tension specimens with different spatial variations of Young's modulus, failure stress and failure strain, were tested. Near tip mode mixity was introduced either by inclining the crack to the remote loading direction, as in the case of homogeneous materials, or to the direction of material gradient, or both. A full-field digital image correlation technique was used to measure in real-time the displacement field around the crack tip while it propagated through the graded material, and to extract the fracture parameters of stress intensity factor K _I and K _II , and the T-stress. It was found that the nonsingular T-stress term in the asymptotic expansion for stresses plays a very important role in accurately measuring fracture parameters. It was also found that the maximum tangential stress criterion can be applied to the case of FGMs to predict crack kinking provided that the effect of the T-stress is accounted for and the process zone size is small compared to the intrinsic material gradient length scale. However, for accurate crack path prediction at a length scale comparable to the material gradient, detailed material property information is required. In general, the crack will propagate towards a region that exhibits less fracture toughness, but, unlike the case of homogeneous materials, along a path where K _II is not necessarily equal to zero.     

Failure modes of specimens containing surface flaws under cyclic torsion

Turbine-generator shafts are often subjected to a complex transient torsional loading. Such a torsional loading may initiate yielding at the outer radius of the shaft or in the fillets. The methods for predicting turbine-shaft fatigue life due to transient loading depent upon the mode of crack growth from an undetected crack. The most common location for the existence of a crack is the fillets or shoulders of the shaft. Specimens were designed from AISI 4340 steel with two diametrically opposed flat surfaces. Initial defect orientations of 0 deg, 45 deg and 90 deg with respect to the sepcimen axis on the fillet were studied. The specimens were subjected to cyclic torsion with zero mean torque and with a torque amplitude necessary to cause yielding at the outer radius of the specimen. When initial defects were aligned with a plane of maximum shear stress (0 deg and 90 deg), the cracks propagated along that plane. For 45-deg defects (aligned to a plane of maximum tensile stress) the crack still propagated along the plane of maximum shear. However, the number of cycles to initiate and to propagate the crack to failure for 45-deg defects were (two to three times) larger than those for 0-deg and 90-deg defects. Mode II and Mode III crack-growth rates were measured from specimens containing 0-deg and 90-deg defects. It was found that the crack-growth rate in Mode II was higher than in Mode III. However, all the specimens failed due to reduction of the net cross section, mostly attributed to Mode III crack growth. Similar results were obtained from specimens of turbine-shaft material (A469 steel), and 2024 aluminum with different rolling directions. Fatigue-crack-growth rates in Mode III were measured from circumferentially notched bar. They were found to be a unique function of ΔK _III alternating stress intensity in Mode III. It was found that the mechanism of crack growth is produced by the formation and linkage of elongated cavities at the crack tip.     

Stress intensity factor range and propagation mode of surface cracks under rolling–sliding contact

Finite element analyses were conducted in order to evaluate the mode I and mode II stress intensity factors for inclined edge cracks under cyclic contact load under rolling and rolling–sliding condition. The SIF range depends on crack orientation, crack length to Hertzian contact zone half-width ratio, friction between the crack faces and friction on the contact surface. The results were combined in two compact functions that determine the ΔK_I and ΔK_II values. The crack propagation mode and direction were investigated using both the maximum stress criterion and the minimum strain energy density criterion. The results are displayed in graph form, which allows a fast evaluation of the crack growth condition.     

轻质泡沫混凝土的劈裂破坏力学行为分析

利用平台巴西圆盘加载方式和钢质压条加载方式,对两种厚度为25mm和50mm、不同密度的轻质泡沫混凝土(400～1000kg/m3)进行巴西圆盘劈裂试验,研究密度和厚度对泡沫混凝土裂纹宽度、劈裂强度、断裂韧度、断裂能的影响规律。结果表明,在橡胶垫平台巴西圆盘和钢质压条加载方式下,其劈裂断裂特征大致分为四个阶段:线性弹性段、非线性弹性段、起裂阶段、失稳阶段。同样加载率下最大裂纹宽度随着泡沫混凝土密度增加逐渐减小,劈裂拉伸强度、断裂韧度、断裂能呈幂函数形式增加。借鉴Reinhardt非线性软化曲线,对不同密度泡沫混凝土的应力软化关系进行曲线拟合,建立基于拉伸强度、断裂韧度等控制参数的应力-裂纹宽度关系三段式模型。基于试验结果,对理想多孔材料细观力学预测模型进行修正,获得泡沫混凝土孔隙率与拉伸强度的半经验公式。     

钢轨表面剥离掉块路径预测研究

轮轨滚动接触下,钢轨表面会产生典型的鱼钩形剥离掉块,其形成机理目前暂未明确.为了探究轮轨滚动接触下钢轨表面裂纹扩展机理,基于最大周向拉应力准则,建立轮轨滚动接触疲劳计算模型,提出裂尖扩展路径预测方法,并对不同初始角度裂纹的扩展路径进行预测.结果表明,钢轨表面微裂纹为Ⅰ-Ⅱ复合型裂纹,随着裂纹长度增加,KⅠ先增加后减小,...     

Initiation and propagation of fatigue crack in pure aluminium single crystals

The fatigue crack initiation and propagation in the pure aluminum single crystals with different orientations are investigated. Acoustic Emission (AE) technique is used to monitor the fatigue crack initiation and propagation data. The results show that the acoustic emission technique could be used for detecting fatigue crack initiation and propagation. The total counts of AE are plotted as a function of the number of fatigue cycles, and change in slope of the curve corresponded to the initiation of the fatigue crack. The fatigue crack initiation and propagation are related to the specimen crystalline orientation. Specifically, they depend on the ratio K of the Schmid factor of the secondary slip system, to that of the primary one. The greater the ratio K, the easier the fatigue crack initiates and the faster the fatigue crack propagates. When the ratio K is equal or close to one, the fatigue crack grows either along a cleavage plane which intersects both the primary plane and the secondary one or along the primary slip plane and the secondary one. Growth along alternating planes can also occur giving rise to a zigzag path. When the ratio K is much less than one, the fatigue crack grows along the primary slip plane only. The results are explained with a model for the faceted mode of fatigue crack growth.     

Influence of indenter geometry on half-plane with edge crack subjected to fretting condition

An edge crack is analyzed to study fretting failure. A flat punch with rounded corners and a half-plane are regarded as an indenter and a substrate, respectively. Plane strain condition is considered. Contact shear traction in the case of partial slip is evaluated numerically. It is assumed that an initial crack is extended to the point of minimum strain energy density in the half-plane from the trailing edge of contact. Dislocation density function method is used to evaluate K_I and K_II. The variations of K_I and K_II during crack growth are examined in the case of indentation by a punch with different ratio of the flat region (l) to the punch width (L). Sih's minimum strain energy density theory [1] is also applied to predict the propagation direction of the initial crack. The direction evaluated is similar to that found in the experiment. Stress intensity factor ranges (ΔK_I and ΔK_II) are examined during cyclic shear on the contact. For the design of contacting bodies, a suggestible geometry of punch for alleviating cracking failure is studied.     

Mixed mode fatigue crack growth and the strain energy density factor

The strain energy density factor S was first proposed by Sih for the prediction of the critical of the load and failure direction under monotonic, mixed mode loading condition. It seems a natural extension to apply the same concept to fatigue crack propagation. However, a close examination of the existing theory indicates that the Strain Energy Density Factor cannot logically account for the phenomena of the R-ratio effect and crack arrest. Thus, modification is necessary before the concept can be applied successfully for the prediction of mixed mode fatigue crack propagation.Based on the concept of hysteresis energy dissipation, an effective strain energy density factor range, ΔS_p,eff, is proposed for the correlation of fatigue crack growth data. ΔS_p,eff is consistent with the concept of crack closure. Experimental investigation indicates that it could predict the crack growth rates and trajectories.