Subsonic interfacial fracture using strain gages in isotropic–orthotropic bimaterial

An experimental study has been conducted in which strain fields were used to investigate the behavior of subsonic crack propagation along the interface of an isotropic–orthotropic bimaterial system. Strain field equations were developed from available field equations and critically evaluated in a parametric study to identify optimum strain gage location and orientation. Bimaterial specimens were prepared with PSM-1 polycarbonate and Scotchply^® 1002 unidirectional, glass-fiber-reinforced, epoxy composite. Dynamic experiments were conducted using these specimens with strain gages mounted on the composite half to obtain values of the dynamic complex stress intensity factor, K=K₁+iK₂, in the region of the crack tip while photoelasticity was used on the PSM-1 half. Results show that the trend and magnitude of K obtained using strain gages compare favorably with those obtained using photoelasticity.     

Decay rates in a bimaterial circular cylinder

Decay rates in a bimaterial circular cylinder under axisymmetric torsion loading are considered via an eigen-expansion near the end of the cylinder. The decay rates depend on the shear modulus ratio of the materials and the radius ratio of inner and outer cylinders. Following the derivation of the traditional Saint-Venant end effect of an isotropic bimaterial cylinder, cases of anisotropic material (transversely isotropic material) and non-traditional Saint-Venant end effect (displacement prescribed on the side surface) are considered. This study sheds some light on the decay studies for other geometric configurations and the deformation modes of composite structures.     

Subinterface crack in an anisotropic piezoelectric bimaterial

In this paper, the problem of a subinterface crack in an anisotropic piezoelectric bimaterial is analyzed. A system of singular integral equations is formulated for general anisotropic piezoelectric bimaterial with kernel functions expressed in complex form. For commonly used transversely isotropic piezoelectric materials, the kernel functions are given in real forms. By considering special properties of one of the bimaterial, various real kernel functions for half-plane problems with mechanical traction-free or displacement-fixed boundary conditions combined with different electric boundary conditions are obtained. Investigations of half-plane piezoelectric solids show that, particularly for the mechanical traction-free problem, the evaluations of the mechanical stress intensity factors (electric displacement intensity factor) under mechanical loadings (electric displacement loading) for coupled mechanical and electric problems may be evaluated directly by considering the corresponding decoupled elastic (electric) problem irrespective of what electric boundary condition is applied on the boundary. However, for the piezoelectric bimaterial problem, purely elastic bimaterial analysis or purely electric bimaterial analysis is inadequate for the determination of the generalized stress intensity factors. Instead, both elastic and electric properties of the bimaterial’s constants should be simultaneously taken into account for better accuracy of the generalized stress intensity factors.     

Material fracture toughness determination for polyethylene pipe materials using small scale test results

The Small-Scale Steady State (S4) test has been recently developed in order to assess the fracture behaviour of polyethylene (PE) gas distribution pipe material during rapid axial crack propagation. Based on an investigation of the S4 test, a simulation model of S4 test has been developed. This paper describes the use of the results obtained from the S4 test and program modified from PFRAC (Pipeline Fracture Analysis Code) to evaluate the fracture toughness of the material,G, which could not be directly obtained from the test, and to predict critical pressure,p _c , for rapid crack propagation (RCP) in a full scale PE pipe. The algorithms for contact conditions are developed to consider the opening pipe wall impact against a series containment rings and the capabilities of PFRAC are also extended. WhenG _d is evaluated, investigations are made on the effect of temperature, wall thickness and crack velocity. In addition, procedures to evaluate the critical pressure for the S4 test pipe are also discussed.     

A transverse crack tip field in bimaterial

The asymptotic field near an interface crack tip is analyzed with the fully nonlinear theory. By dividing the crack tip field into narrowing sectors and an expanding sector, the asymptotic equations for the crack tip field are derived and solved. The singular characters of stress and strain near the crack tip are revealed.     

Antiplane stress singularities in a bonded bimaterial piezoelectric wedge

Summary  In this paper, the eigen-equations governing antiplane stress singularities in a bonded piezoelectric wedge are derived analytically. Boundary conditions are set as various combinations of traction-free, clamped, electrically open and electrically closed ones. Application of the Mellin transform to the stress/electric displacement function or displacement/electric potential function and particular boundary and continuity conditions yields identical eigen-equations. All of the analytical results are tabulated. It is found that the singularity orders of a bonded bimaterial piezoelectric wedge may be complex, as opposed to those of the antiplane elastic bonded wedge, which are always real. For a single piezoelectric wedge, the eigen-equations are independent of material constants, and the eigenvalues are all real, except in the case of the combination C–D. In this special case, C–D, the real part of the complex eigenvalues is not dependent on material constants, while the imaginary part is. Received 26 March 2002; accepted for publication 2 July 2002     

Crack propagation along the interface of piezoelectric bimaterial

This paper is concerned with the propagation of a crack along the interface of a piezoelectric bimaterial, which can travel at subsonic or intersonic speed. The inertial effects are taken into account while the static approximation is applied to the electric fields. The effect of piezoelectricity on the asymptotic crack-tip field is discussed for an interface crack propagating subsonically and intersonically. An alternative method is used to avoid solving for the eigenvectors. This paper provides a unified method to analyze the crack-tip field of a crack propagating along a piezoelectric bimaterial interface.     

Evaluation of the Lazarus-Leblond constants in the asymptotic model of the interfacial wavy crack

The paper addresses the problem of a semi-infinite plane crack along the interface between two isotropic half-spaces. Two methods of solution have been considered in the past: Lazarus and Leblond [1998a. Three-dimensional crack-face weight functions for the semi-infinite interface crack-I: variation of the stress intensity factors due to some small perturbation of the crack front. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 46, 489-511, 1998b. Three-dimensional crack-face weight functions for the semi-infinite interface crack-II: integrodifferential equations on the weight functions and resolution J. Mech. Phys. Solids 46, 513-536] applied the “special” method by Bueckner [1987. Weight functions and fundamental fields for the penny-shaped and the half-plane crack in three space. Int. J. Solids Struct. 23, 57-93] and found the expression of the variation of the stress intensity factors for a wavy crack without solving the complete elasticity problem; their solution is expressed in terms of the physical variables, and it involves five constants whose analytical representation was unknown; on the other hand, the “general” solution to the problem has been recently addressed by Bercial-Velez et al. [2005. High-order asymptotics and perturbation problems for 3D interfacial cracks. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 53, 1128-1162], using a Wiener-Hopf analysis and singular asymptotics near the crack front.The main goal of the present paper is to complete the solution to the problem by providing the connection between the two methods. This is done by constructing an integral representation for Lazarus-Leblond's weight functions and by deriving the closed form representations of Lazarus-Leblond's constants.     

Finite element analysis of a bimaterial interface crack

In this investigation, the enriched element method developed by Benzley was extended to treat the stress analysis problem involving a bimaterial interface crack. Unlike crack problems in isotropic elasticity, where the stress singularity at the crack tip is of the inverse square root type, the interface crack contains an additional oscillatory singularity. Although the effect of this oscillatory characteristic is confined to a region very close to the crak tip, it nevertheless requires proper treatment in order to obtain accurate predictions on the stress intensity factors. Using appropriate crack tip stress and displacement expressions, the enriched element method can model the stress singularity for an interface crack exactly. The finite element implementation of this method has been made on the code APES. Stress intensity factor results predicted by the modified APES program compare favorably with those available in the literature. This indicates tha the enriched element technique provides an accurate and efficient numerical tool for the analysis of bimaterial interface crack problems.     

Experimental analysis for singularities in crack normal to bimaterial interface

Three kinds of the model of crack normal to the bimaterial interface are studied by an experimental method. The highly sensitive moire interferometry technique is employed to obtain the displacement fields near the crack tip. The singularities of the three kinds of model are determined and analyzed by the experimental method and compared and discussed.     

Photoelastic analysis of the singular stress field in a bimaterial wedge

This paper presents an experimental investigation of the singular stress field near the vertex of a bimaterial wedge using a digital photoelastic technique. Special attention is given to the casting of bimaterial wedge specimens and analysis technique for extracting stress intensity factors from photoelastic samples. Different bimaterial wedge specimens are made of two different photoelastic materials bonded through a special casting procedure and loaded in simple tension. A new multiple-parameter method is developed to obtain the stress intensity factor reliably from the isochromatic fringe patterns and the series representation of the stress field at the vertex of the wedge. Experimental results are compared with finite element predictions, and good agreement is observed.     

A crack perpendicular to the bimaterial interface in finite solid

The dislocation simulation method is used in this paper to derive the basic equations for a crack perpendicular to the bimaterial interface in a finite solid. The complete solutions to the problem, including the T stress and the stress intensity factors are obtained. The stress field characteristics are investigated in detail. It is found that when the crack is within a weaker material, the stress intensity factor is smaller than that in a homogeneous material and it decreases when the distance between the crack tip and interface decreases. When the crack is within a stiffer material, the stress intensity factor is larger than that in a homogeneous material and it increases when the distance between the crack tip and interface decreases. In both cases, the stress intensity factor will increase when the ratio of the size of a sample to the crack length decreases. A comparison of stress intensity factors between a finite problem and an infinite problem has been given also. The stress distribution ahead of the crack tip, which is near the interface, is shown in details and the T stress effect is considered.     

Force identification from dynamic responses of a bimaterial beam

The dynamic response due to impact of a two-dimensional bimaterial beam system is described in terms of a waveguide model involving two displacements and a rotation. Coupled with spectral analysis, this allows measured signals to characterize the waves propagating in the system; this in turn, is used to predict responses at any locations. In particular, the impacting force can be reconstructed. The results are demonstrated for an aluminum/expoxy system. Paper was presented at the 1991 SEM Spring Conference on Experimental Mechanics held in Milwaukee, WI on June 10–13.     

Singular stress fields of angle-ply and monoclinic bimaterial wedges

The characteristic equations for the order of stress singularity of anisotropic bimaterial wedges subjected to traction boundary conditions are investigated. For an angle-ply bimaterial wedge, both fully bonded and frictional interfaces are considered, whereas for a monoclinic bimaterial wedge, a frictional interface is considered. Here, the Stroh formalism and the separation of variables technique are used. In general, the order of stress singularity can be real or complex, but for the special geometry of a crack along the frictional interface of a monoclinic composite, it is always real. Explicit characteristic equations for the order of singularity are presented for an aligned orthotropic composite with a frictional interface. Numerical results are given for an angle-ply bimaterial wedge and a monoclinic bimaterial wedge consisting of a graphite/epoxy fiber-reinforced composite.     

Modeling core-spreading of interface dislocation and its elastic response in anisotropic bimaterial

Interfacial dislocation may have a spreading core corresponding to a weak shear resistance of interfaces. In this paper, a conic model is proposed to mimic the spreading core of interfacial dislocation in anisotropic bimaterials. By the Stroh formalism and Green's function, the analytical expressions of the elastic fields are deduced for such a dislocation. Taking Cu/Nb bimaterial as an example, it is demonstrated that the accuracy and efficiency of the method are well validated by the interface conditions, a spreading core can greatly reduce the stress intensity near the interfacial dislocation compared with the compact core, and the elastic fields near the spreading core region are significantly different from the condensed core, while they are less sensitive to a field point that is 1.5times the core width away from the center of the spreading core.     

Subsonic semi-infinite crack with a finite friction zone in a bimaterial

Propagation of a semi-infinite crack along the interface between an elastic half-plane and a rigid half-plane is analyzed. The crack advances at constant subsonic speed. It is assumed that, ahead of the crack, there is a finite segment where the conditions of Coulomb friction law are satisfied. The contact zone of unknown a priori length propagates with the same speed as the crack. The problem reduces to a vector Riemann–Hilbert problem with a piece-wise constant matrix coefficient discontinuous at three points, 0, 1, and ∞. The problem is solved exactly in terms of Kummer's solutions of the associated hypergeometric differential equation. Numerical results are reported for the length of the contact friction zone, the stress singularity factor, the normal displacement u₂, and the dynamic energy release rate G. It is found that in the case of frictionless contact for both the sub-Rayleigh and super-Rayleigh regimes, G is positive and the stress intensity factor K_II does not vanish. In the sub-Rayleigh case, the normal displacement is positive everywhere in the opening zone. In the super-Rayleigh regime, there is a small neighborhood of the ending point of the open zone where the normal displacement is negative.     

Non-linear vibration of bimaterial magneto-elastic cantilever beam with thermal loading

Formulas and numerical results are studied for the transient vibration and dynamic instability of a bimaterial magneto-elastic cantilever beam which is subjected to alternating magnetic field and thermal loading. Materials are assumed isotropic, and the physical properties are assumed to have unique values in each layer. The governing equation of motion is derived by the extended Hamilton's principle, in which the damping factor, the electromagnetic force, the electromagnetic torque, and the thermal load are considered. The solution of thermal effect is obtained by superposing certain fundamental linear elastic stress states which are compatible with the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. The axial stresses results are found to be in good agreement with some known numerical solutions. Using Galerkin's method, the equation of motion is reduced to a time-dependent Mathieu equation. The numerical results of the regions of dynamic instability are determined by the incremental harmonic balance (IHB) method, and the transient vibratory behaviors are presented by the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method. The results show that the responses of the transient vibration and dynamic instability of the system are influenced by the magnetic field, the thickness ratio, the excitation frequency, but not by the temperature increase in this study.