A Study of Crack–inclusion Interactions and Matrix–inclusion Debonding Using Moiré Interferometry and Finite Element Method

Failure behavior of composite materials in general and particulate composites in particular is intimately linked to interactions between a matrix crack and a second phase inclusion. In this work, surface deformations are optically mapped in the vicinity of a crack–inclusion pair using moiré interferometry. Edge cracked epoxy beams, each with a symmetrically positioned cylindrical glass inclusion ahead of the tip, are used to simulate a compliant matrix crack interacting with a stiff inclusion. Processes involving microelectronic fabrication techniques are developed for creating linear gratings in the crack–inclusion vicinity. The debond evolution between the inclusion–matrix pair is successfully mapped by recording crack opening displacements under quasi-static loading conditions. The surface deformations are analyzed to study evolution of strain fields due to crack–inclusion interactions. A numerical model based on experimental observations is also developed to simulate debonding of the inclusion from the matrix. An element stiffness deactivation method in conjunction with critical radial stress criterion is successfully demonstrated using finite element method. The proposed methodology is shown to capture the experimentally observed debonding process well.

Dynamic fracture parameters and constraint effects in functionally graded syntactic epoxy foams

Functionally graded syntactic foam sheets are developed by dispersing microballoons in epoxy for studying dynamic fracture behavior under low velocity impact loading. The volume fraction of microballoons is graded linearly over the width of the sheets. The mode-I crack initiation and growth behaviors are studied using reflection coherent gradient sensing technique and high-speed photography in samples with crack on the compliant and stiff sides and oriented along the compositional gradient. Crack growth along the gradient in each case shows sudden acceleration followed by steady state growth and deceleration during the window of observation. In both cases, the crack accelerations are similar while crack decelerations show differences. The dynamic stress intensity factor history prior to crack initiation in each case shows a rapid increase at different rates with the crack on the compliant side of the graded sheet experiencing higher rate of loading relative to the one with the crack on the stiffer side. Post-crack initiation stress intensity factor histories suggest increasing fracture toughness with crack growth in the graded sample with the crack on the compliant side while a decreasing trend is seen when the crack is on the stiffer side.Optical measurements are supplemented by finite element simulations for studying crack tip constraint effects on fracture behavior of graded foam sheets. Computed plane strain constraints in graded configurations are essentially identical to the homogeneous counterpart and the computed stress intensity factors obtained from plane stress elasto-dynamic analyses of the graded foams correlate well with the experimental measurements prior to crack initiation. The computed T-stress histories however, show an earlier loss of negative crack tip constraint in case of the graded foam sample with a crack on the compliant side. This correlates well with the higher crack tip loading rate and earlier crack initiation suggesting a possible role of in-plane constraint on fracture of graded foam. The coincidence of the time rate of change of in-plane constraint parameter becoming stationary close to experimentally observed crack initiation times are noted.     

Effects of near-tip rotation on pre-buckle crack growth of compressed beams bonded to a rigid substrate

The macroscopic pre-cracked line scratch test (MPLST), in which a debonded edge of a film is loaded in in-plane compression, has been modeled as a generic, coupled fracture–buckle problem using simple beam theory. Near crack-tip beam rotation (also called root rotation in literature), which always exists due to the eccentric loading in this type of test, has been incorporated into the governing equations. An analytical solution to the augmented problem has been derived. It is found that the near-tip rotation can introduce pre-buckle bending in the film. One important consequence of this pre-buckle bending is that it leads to the reduction of the critical buckling condition. This agrees well with the results of [Int. J. Fract. 113 (2002) 39] obtained by solving the full elastic field near the crack-tip. Furthermore, the pre-buckle bending moment at crack-tip remains negative (leading to crack closure) as long as the pre-buckle crack length is small, but it becomes positive (leading to crack opening) at larger pre-buckle crack length. The negative bending moment causes the crack-tip energy release rate to decrease as the crack propagates, which results in a stable pre-buckle crack growth. Once it becomes positive, however, the bending moment causes crack-tip energy release rate to increase rapidly as crack length increases and hence leads to an unstable (pre-buckle) crack growth. Further, the nominal phase angle is initially larger than the classic prediction of 52.1° owing to the existence of the negative crack-tip bending moment, but it drops quickly upon approaching the buckle point. All these results are confirmed by a rigorous 2D FEM calculation using cohesive zone modeling (CZM) approach. Finally the derived analytical solution has been used to analyze a set of PLST data reported in the literature. It has been demonstrated that plasticity in the adhesive layer and in the bonded film is responsible for the strong R-curve toughening characteristics in the deduced interface toughness data. It has also been shown that, once the deduced interface toughness is incorporated into a CZM simulation, both the axial loading and buckling point can be accurately predicted.     

Dynamic Crack Growth Past a Stiff Inclusion: Optical Investigation of Inclusion Eccentricity and Inclusion-matrix Adhesion Strength

Interactions between a dynamically growing matrix crack and a stationary stiff cylindrical inclusion are studied optically. Test specimens with two different bond strengths (weak and strong) and three crack-inclusion eccentricities (e = 0, d/2 and 3d/4, d being inclusion diameter) are studied using reflection mode Coherent Gradient Sensing (CGS) and high-speed photography. These variants produce distinct dynamic crack trajectories and failure behaviors. A weaker inclusion-matrix interface attracts a propagating crack while a stronger one deflects the crack away. The former results in a propagating crack lodging (‘key-hole’) into the inclusion-matrix interface whereas in the latter the crack tends to circumvent the inclusion. When the inclusion is in the prospective crack path, the maximum attained crack speed is much higher in the weakly bonded inclusion cases relative to the strongly bonded counterparts. For a crack propagating towards a weakly bonded inclusion, the effective stress intensity factor (K _e) value remains constant for each inclusion eccentricity considered. But these constant K _e values increase with increasing eccentricity. A distinct drop in K _e occurs when the crack is near the inclusion. In strongly bonded inclusion cases, on the other hand, monotonically increasing K _e before the crack reaches the inclusion is observed. A drop in K _e is seen just before the crack reaches the inclusion. The mode-mixity estimates are of opposite signs for weakly and strongly bonded inclusions in case of the largest eccentricity studied, confirming the observed crack attraction and deflection mechanisms.

裂纹面摩擦接触引起的断裂韧性增长的研究

采用弹黏塑性的材料本构关系, 建立了压、剪混合型裂纹常速准静 态扩展的力学模型, 求得了裂纹面摩擦接触条件下裂纹尖端场的数值解, 并基于数 值结果讨论了扩展裂纹的摩擦效应. 计算和分析表明, 裂纹面的摩擦效应主要表现 在两个方面. 第一方面是摩擦会导致裂纹尖端区材料的断裂韧性增高, 并且裂纹面间的摩擦作用越强, 增韧效果越显著. 摩擦增韧的机制可以解释为裂纹 面间的摩擦作用导致裂纹尖端塑性区尺寸变大, 使裂纹尖端场的塑性变形能增加, 从而使得裂纹尖端区材料增韧. 摩擦生热并不是导致材料断裂韧性增长的根本机制. 第二方面是摩擦会导致``断裂延缓'. 利用裂纹面的摩擦来提高构件的承载能力和延长构件的服役寿命具有较大的工程实用价值.     

Mode III effects on interface delamination

For crack growth along an interface between dissimilar materials the effect of combined modes I, II and III at the crack-tip is investigated. First, in order to highlight situations where crack growth is affected by a mode III contribution, examples of material configurations are discussed where mode III has an effect. Subsequently, the focus is on crack growth along an interface between an elastic-plastic solid and an elastic substrate. The analyses are carried out for conditions of small-scale yielding, with the fracture process at the interface represented by a cohesive zone model. Due to the mismatch of elastic properties across the interface the corresponding elastic solution has an oscillating stress singularity, and this solution is applied as boundary conditions on the outer edge of the region analyzed. For several combinations of modes I, II and III crack growth resistance curves are calculated numerically in order to determine the steady-state fracture toughness. For given values of K_I and K_II the minimum fracture toughness corresponds to K_III=0 in most of the range analyzed, but there is a range where the minimum occurs for a nonzero value of K_III.     

Effect of T-stress on branch angle of moving cracks

The effects of the T-stress on Yoffe crack propagation are analyzed. Using a maximum k_I fracture criterion near the kink of a moving crack tip, a branch angle is determined via asymptotic crack-tip field containing two fracture parameters related to singular and constant terms. Results indicate that crack speeds decrease the T-stress. The crack-tip field and the branch angle depend on the T-stress, especially for higher crack velocities. The critical speed for crack bifurcation is independent of remote transverse loading if neglecting the T-stress. Otherwise, the crack branch speed is reduced or raised, depending on positive or negative transverse loading, respectively.     

Mixed Mode Dynamic Fracture in Particulate Reinforced Functionally Graded Materials

A detailed analytical and experimental investigation is presented to understand the dynamic fracture behavior of functionally graded materials (FGMs) under mode I and mixed mode loading conditions. Crack-tip stress, strain and displacement fields for a mixed mode crack propagating at an angle from the direction of property gradation were obtained through an asymptotic analysis coupled with a displacement potential approach. This was followed by a comprehensive series of experiments to gain further insight into the behavior of propagating cracks in FGMs. Dynamic photoelasticity coupled with high-speed photography was used to obtain crack tip velocities and dynamic stress fields around the propagating cracks. Birefringent coatings were used to conduct the photoelastic study due to the opaqueness of the FGMs. Dynamic fracture experiments were performed using different specimen geometries to develop a dynamic constitutive fracture relationship between the mode I dynamic stress intensity factor (K _ID ) and crack-tip velocity ( ) for FGMs with the crack moving in the direction of increasing fracture toughness. A similar -K _ID relation was also obtained for matrix material (polyester) for comparison purposes. The results obtained show that crack propagation velocities in FGMs were about 80% higher than the polyester matrix. Crack arrest toughness was found to be about 10% lower than the value of local fracture toughness in FGMs.     

A micromechanical model for predicting the fracture toughness of functionally graded foams

In this paper, finite element method based micromechanical analysis is used to understand the fracture behavior of functionally graded foams. The finite element analysis uses a micro-mechanical model in conjunction with a macro-mechanical model in order to relate the stress intensity factor to the stresses in the struts of the foam. The stress intensity factor at the crack tip of the macro-mechanical model can be evaluated using either the J-contour integral or the stresses in the singularity-dominated zone. The fracture toughness is evaluated for various crack positions and length within the functionally graded foam. Then the relationship between the fracture toughness of the graded foam and the local density at the crack tip is studied. Convergence tests for both macro-mechanical and micro-mechanical model analysis were conducted in order to maintain adequate accuracy with reasonable computational time. Fracture toughness of homogenous foams and functionally graded foams for various cases are presented as a function of relative density. This study indicates that the fracture toughness of functionally graded foams mainly depends on the relative density at the crack-tip.     

Effect of specimen size and crack depth on 3D crack-front constraint for SENB specimens

Three-dimensional (3D) elastic–plastic finite element analyses (FEA) are performed to study constraint effect on the crack-front stress fields for single-edge notched bend (SENB) specimens. Both rectangular and square cross-section of the specimens with a deep crack of a/W=0.5 are considered to investigate the effect of specimen size. A square-cross-section specimen with a shallow crack of a/W=0.15 is also considered to examine the effect of crack depth. Stresses from FEA at the crack front on different planes of the specimen are compared with those determined by the J–A₂ three-term solution. Results show that in-plane stress fields can be characterized by the three-term solution throughout the thickness even in the region near the free surface. Cleavage fracture toughness data is compared to predict the effects of specimen size and crack depth on fracture behavior. It is found that the distributions of crack opening stress are nearly the same for the SENB specimens at the critical J which is consistent with the RKR model. Furthermore our results indicate that there is a distinct relationship between the crack-front constraint and the cleavage fracture toughness. By introducing the failure curves, the minimum fracture toughness and scatter band can be well captured using the J–A₂ approach.     

Role of elasticity in elastic–plastic fracture: Analytical bi-linear crack-tip fields and finite element analysis

A solution for Model-I plane strain crack tip fields in a bi-linear elastic–plastic material is presented. The elastic–plastic Poisson's ratio is introduced to characterize the influence of elastic deformation on the near tip constraint. Attention is focused on the distribution of elastic/plastic strain energy in the sensitive region of the forward sector ahead of a crack tip. The present study shows that the elastic strain energy can be higher than the plastic strain energy in this sensitive sector while large amount of the plastic strain energy develops outside this sector around the crack tip. The effect of elastic deformation in this sensitive region on the structure of crack-tip fields is considerable and the assumption in some important solutions for crack-tip fields reported in literature that the elastic deformation is small and can be ignored is therefore not physically reasonable. Besides, finite element analysis is carried out to validate the analytical solution and good agreement between them is found. It is seen that the present solution with T-stress can properly describe the crack-tip fields under various constraints for different specimens and an analytical relation is established between the critical value of J-integral, J_c, and T-stress for elastic–plastic fracture.     

Dynamic mechanical and fracture properties of an infiltrated TiC-1080 steel cermet

The dynamic mechanical and fracture properties of a TiC porous network infiltrated with1080 steel are reported. Following infiltration, the cermet is subjected to various heat treatments that affect essentially the steel matrix. Dynamic compression tests show that the heat treatments increase the fracture strength of the cermet. The quasi-static fracture toughness (K_Ic) is also increased by the heat treatments. The dynamic (initiation) fracture toughness (K_Id) is substantially higher (by about a factor of 3) than its static counterpart. Failure mechanisms consist mainly of cleavage of the TiC and matrix grains, along with minor interfacial decohesion. However, dynamic loading induces substantial damage around the crack tip, consisting essentially of cleavage of TiC grains. Microcrak toughnening is believed to be responsible for the high dynamic toughness of the material. The critical microstructural fracture event is thus identified as the spreading of TiC cleavage microcracks into the neighboring steel grains.     

Process zone in the Single Cantilever Beam under transverse loading - Part II: Experimental

This paper describes an experimental arrangement to evaluate stress/strain fields in the process zone of asymmetric adhesively bonded joints. A transparent polycarbonate flexible beam was bonded to an aluminium alloy rigid block with an epoxy adhesive in a Single Cantilever Beam (SCB) configuration. The flexible adherend was loaded in the direction parallel to the initial crack front at constant rate. To monitor strains induced by bending and shear along the beam, electric strain gauges were attached to the upper surface of the flexible adherend. Thus strain distribution was measured above the bonded surface, which could be used to monitor crack propagation and investigate stress redistribution in the process zone. A Timoshenko beam lying on a Pasternak elastic foundation model was used for the analysis of experimental findings. Subsequently, the Digital Image Correlation technique was used to measure the flexible substrate in-plane displacement field in the vicinity of the crack front and to assess the specimen kinematics. We found that strain gauge instrumentation of the fracture mechanics specimen was a very sensitive technique for experimental analysis of crack propagation under complex loading, offering fine investigation of stress distribution in the cohesive zone.     

A novel method in determination of dynamic fracture toughness under mixed mode I/II impact loading

The objective of this paper is to propose a novel methodology for determining dynamic fracture toughness (DFT) of materials under mixed mode I/II impact loading. Previous experimental investigations on mixed mode fracture have been largely limited to qusi-static conditions, due to difficulties in the generation of mixed mode dynamic loading and the precise control of mode mixity at crack tip, in absence of sophisticated experimental techniques. In this study, a hybrid experimental–numerical approach is employed to measure mixed mode DFT of 40Cr high strength steel, with the aid of the split Hopkinson tension bar (SHTB) apparatus and finite element analysis (FEA). A fixture device and a series of tensile specimens with an inclined center crack are designed for the tests to generate the components of mode I and mode II dynamic stress intensity factors (DSIF). Through the change of the crack inclination angle β (=90°, 60°, 45°, and 30°), the K_II/K_I ratio is successfully controlled in the range from 0 to 1.14. A mixed mode I/II dynamic fracture plane, which can also exhibit the information of crack inclination angle and loading rate at the same time, is obtained based on the experimental results. A safety zone is determined in this plane according to the characteristic line. Through observation of the fracture surfaces, different fracture mechanisms are found for pure mode I and mixed mode fractures.     

冲击载荷作用下圆孔缺陷对裂纹动态扩展行为的影响规律

空腔和裂纹缺陷通常共存于深部地下岩体中,它们共同影响着岩体的结构安全性与稳定性。为了探究动力扰动载荷下圆形空腔对裂隙岩体内裂纹扩展行为的影响规律,提出了不同圆孔倾角的直裂纹空腔圆弧开口试件（circular opening specimen with straight crack cavity, COSSCC）,利用自制大型落锤冲击实验装置进行动态加载实验,同时采用裂纹扩展计系统测试了裂纹的动态起裂时刻与裂纹扩展速度等各种断裂力学参数,随后采用有限差分软件Autodyn进行裂纹扩展路径与圆孔周围应力场的数值分析,并采用有限元软件Abaqus计算裂纹的动态起裂韧度与裂纹扩展过程中的动态扩展韧度。结果表明:（1）当圆孔倾角θ小于10°时,裂纹扩展路径会偏折并穿过圆孔表面;当圆孔倾角θ为20°与30°时,裂纹扩展路径向圆孔方向发生偏折但不会穿过圆孔,圆孔具有明显的裂纹扩展引导作用; 当圆孔倾角θ为40°与50°时,裂纹扩展路径不会发生偏折,圆孔引导作用明显减弱。（2）当裂纹扩展路径达到圆孔空腔附近时,裂纹尖端的拉伸应力区与圆孔边缘的拉伸应力区发生重合,此时裂纹扩展速度显著增大,裂纹动态断裂韧度显著减小。（3）裂纹的偏折方向与裂纹尖端最大周向应力的方向基本一致。（4）裂纹动态断裂韧度始终小于裂纹起裂韧度,且裂纹动态断裂韧度与裂纹动态扩展速度呈负相关关系。裂纹动态扩展速度越大,裂纹动态断裂韧度越小。     

Finite deformation analysis of crack-tip opening in elastic-plastic materials and implications for fracture

Analyses of the stress and strain fields around smoothly-blunting crack tips in both non-hardening and hardening elastic-plastic materials, under contained plane-strain yielding and subject to mode I opening loads, have been carried out by use of a finite element method suitably formulated to admit large geometry changes. The results include the crack-tip shape and near-tip deformation field, and the crack-tip opening displacement has been related to a parameter of the applied load, the J-integral. The hydrostatic stresses near the crack tip are limited due to the lack of constraint on the blunted tip, limiting achievable stress levels except in a very small region around the crack tip in power-law hardening materials. The J-integral is found to be path-independent except very close to the crack tip in the region affected by the blunted tip. Models for fracture are discussed in the light of these results including one based on the growth of voids. The rate of void-growth near the tip in hardening materials seems to be little different from the rate in non-hardening ones when measured in terms of crack-tip opening displacement, which leads to a prediction of higher toughness in hardening materials. It is suggested that improvement of this model would follow from better understanding of void-void and void-crack coalescence and void nucleation, and some criteria and models for these effects are discussed. The implications of the finite element results for fracture criteria based on critical stress or strain, or both, is discussed with respect to transition of fracture mode and the angle of initial crack-growth. Localization of flow is discussed as a possible fracture model and as a model for void-crack coalescence.     

On the fracture behavior of inhomogeneous materials––A case study for elastically inhomogeneous bimaterials

This paper presents a case study, examining the influence of a sharp bimaterial interface on the effective crack driving force in a fracture mechanics specimen. The inhomogeneity of the elastic modulus in linear elastic and non-hardening and hardening elastic–plastic bimaterials is considered. The interface is perpendicular to the crack plane. The material properties and the distance between the crack tip and the interface are systematically varied. The effect of the material inhomogeneity is captured in form of a quantity called “material inhomogeneity term”, C_inh. This term can be evaluated either by a simple post-processing procedure, following a conventional finite element stress analysis, or by computing the J-integral along a contour around the interface, J_int. The effective crack driving force, J_tip, can be determined as the sum of C_inh and the nominally applied far-field crack driving force, J_far. The results show that C_inh can be accurately determined by both methods even in cases where J_tip-values are inaccurate. When a crack approaches a stiff/compliant interface, C_inh is positive and J_tip becomes larger than J_far. A compliant/stiff transition leads to a negative C_inh, and J_tip becomes smaller than J_far. The material inhomogeneity term, C_inh, can have the same order of magnitude as J_far. Based on the numerical results, the dependencies of C_inh on the material parameters and the geometry are derived. Simple expressions are obtained to estimate C_inh.     

增韧环氧树脂的动态裂纹扩展研究

本文主要进行了环氧及增韧环氧树脂的断裂韧性及裂纹快速扩展的试验研究。试验过程中采用了ＧＬＣ－１型高速裂纹扩展测试仪来测试裂纹的扩展速度,得到在裂纹扩展过程中裂纹扩展速度曲线。本文结合不同的计算公式及有限元分析方法,讨论了各个确定断裂韧性公式的准确程度,发现传统的静态断裂韧性的分析方法所得到的结果偏大,有一定的危险性,建议使用试验与数值计算相结合的方法;同时还发现增韧不仅可以提高材料的静态和动态断裂性能,而且在裂纹扩展过程中可以起到减缓裂纹扩展的作用     

Reduction of<Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis><Subscript>I</Subscript> and<Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis><Subscript>II</Subscript> by the shape-memory effect in a TiNi shape-memory fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix composite

Shape-memory TiNi fiber-reinforced/epoxy matrix composites have been fabricated, and the suppression of crack-tip stress intensity and the change in fracture toughness have been systematically investigated. Stress-strain data for these composite specimens with notches at various angles and different crack lengths in the transverse direction have been measured in tensile tests. The stress intensity factor at the crack tip is experimentally determined from photoelastic fringe patterns. The decreases inK values are attributed to the compressive stress field in the matrix induced when the pre-strains of the TiNi fiber contract to their initial length upon heating above the austenitic final temperature. We present the influences of the pre-strain of TiNi fibers and the compressive domain size between a crack tip and fiber on theK value.