On the higher order asymptotic analysis of a non-uniformly propagating dynamic crack along an arbitrary path

Transient mixed-mode elastodynamic crack growth along arbitrary smoothly varying paths is considered. Asymptotically, the crack tip stress field is square root singular with the angular variation of the singular term depending weakly on the instantaneous values of the crack tip speed and on the mode-I and mode-II stress intensity factors. However, for a material particle at a small distance away from the moving crack tip, the local stress field will depend not only on the instantaneous values of the crack tip speed and stress intensity factors, but also on the past history of these time dependent quantities. In addition, for cracks propagating along curved paths the stress field is also expected to depend on the nature of the curved crack path. Here, a representation of the crack tip fields in the form of an expansion about the crack tip is obtained in powers of radial distance from the tip. The higher order coefficients of this expansion are found to depend on the time derivative of crack tip speed, the time derivatives of the two stress intensity factors as well as on the instantaneous value of the local curvature of the crack path. It is also demonstrated that even if cracks follow a curved path dictated by the criterion K ₁₁ ^d =0, the stress field may still retain higher order asymmetric components related to non-zero local curvature of the crack path.     

弹性T项对裂尖参数和裂纹扩展路径稳定性的作用

研究了弹性T项在主裂纹与近裂尖微空洞干涉问题中对裂尖参数和裂纹扩展路径稳定性的影响作用.利用“伪力”法,并通过解决主裂纹与近裂尖微空洞干涉问题,对远场纯1型载荷和远场弹性T项载荷下,该干涉问题中弹性T项的影响作用进行了分析从数值结果可以看出：由于空洞的存在;释放了弹性T项所引起的应力,弹性T项对裂尖参数;应力强度因子和J积分都有直接显著的影响,因而,它对该载荷下的裂纹扩展路径的稳定性有控制作用。     

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。     

Numerical analysis of quasi-static crack branching in brittle solids by a modified displacement discontinuity method

Mechanism of quasi-static crack branching in brittle solids has been analyzed by a modified displacement discontinuity method. It has been assumed that the pre-existing cracks in brittle solids may propagate at the crack tips due to the initiation and propagation of the kink (or wing) cracks. The originated wing cracks will act as new cracks and can be further propagated from their tips according to the linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) theory. The kink displacement discontinuity formulations (considering the linear and quadratic interpolation functions) are specially developed to calculate the displacement discontinuities for the left and right sides of a kink point so that the first and second mode kink stress intensity factors can be estimated. The crack tips are also treated by boundary displacement collocation technique considering the singularity variation of the displacements and stresses near the crack tip. The propagating direction of the secondary cracks can be predicted by using the maximum tangential stress criterion. An iterative algorithm is used to predict the crack propagating path assuming an incremental increase of the crack length in the predicted direction (straight and curved cracks have been treated). The same approach has been used for estimating the crack propagating direction and path of the original and wing cracks considering the special crack tip elements. Some example problems are numerically solved assuming quasi-static conditions. These results are compared with the corresponding experimental and numerical results given in the literature. This comparison validates the accuracy and applicability of the proposed method.     

The elastic T-stress for slightly curved or kinked cracks

This work presents a solution for the elastic T-stress at the tip of a slightly curved or kinked crack based on a perturbation approach. Compared to other exact or numerical solutions the present solution is accurate for considerable deviations from straightness. The T-stress variation as crack extends along a curved trajectory is subsequently examined. It is predicted that T-stress always keeps negative during crack extension when the crack has an initial negative T-stress. In the case of a positive T-stress and non-zero first and second stress intensity factors initially accompanying the crack, the T-stress is not positive with increasing the extension length until a threshold is exceeded. Based on directional stability criterion with respect to the sign of the T-stress, this result implies that for a straight crack with a positive T-stress, the crack extension path will not turn immediately and instead keep a stable growth until a critical length is reached. This prediction is consistent with experimental observations.     

On the uses of special crack tip elements in numerical rock fracture mechanics

Numerical methods such as boundary element methods are widely used for the stress analysis in solid mechanics. These methods are also used for crack analysis in rock fracture mechanics. There are singularities for the stresses and displacements at the crack tips in fracture mechanics problem, which decrease the accuracy of the numerical results in areas very close to the crack ends. To overcome this, higher order elements and isoperimetric higher order elements have been used. Recently, special crack tip elements have been proposed and used in most of the numerical fracture mechanics models. These elements can drastically increase the accuracy of the results near the crack tips, but in most of the models only one special crack tip element has been used for each crack end. In this study the uses of higher order crack tip elements are discussed and a higher order displacement discontinuity method is used to investigate the effect of these elements on the accuracy of the results in some crack problems. The useful shape functions for two special crack tip elements, are derived and given in the text and appendix for both infinite and semi-infinite plane problems. In this analysis both Mode I and Mode II stress intensity factors are computed . Some example problems are solved and the computed results are compared with the results given in the literature. The numerical results obtained here are in good agreement with those cited in the literature. For the curved crack problem, the strain energy release rate, G can be calculated accurately in the vicinity of the crack tips by using the higher order displacement discontinuity method with a quadratic variation of displacement discontinuity elements and with two special crack tip elements at each crack end.     

Fracture trajectories in a biaxially stressed plate

A specially designed rig has been used to examine the phenomena of crack growth in centrallynotched plates of polymethyl methacrylate under biaxial stress. Attention has been directed particularly towards investigating the phenomenon of path instability, viz. the deviation of a crack from its expected path with increasing transverse stress.Cracks grown under a biaxial stress system, whose transverse component, acting parallel to the crack, exceeds the normal component, do so in an S-shaped curve centred on the original, straight notch. Stress intensity factors for such a crack are estimated by superposition of related known solutions. On the assumption that crack extension takes place with opening displacements only at the tip, that is, the crack tip stress field remains symmetrical, the observed dependence of path geometry on the degree of stress biaxiality is explained.     

Observation of Stress Field Around an Oscillating Crack Tip in a Quenched Thin Glass Plate

The variation of stress field around an oscillating crack tip in a quenched thin glass plate is observed using instantaneous phase-stepping photoelasticity. The successive images around the propagating crack are recorded by a CCD camera that is equipped with a pixelated micro-retarder array. Then, the phase maps of the principal stress difference and the principal direction are easily obtained even though the photoelastic fringes cannot be visualized. The path of the crack growth as well as the stress intensity factors and the crack tip constraint are obtained from these phase distributions. Results show that the mode I stress intensity factor and the crack tip constraint vary remarkably with the crack growth. In addition, the results show that the mode-II stress intensity factor exists even though the crack propagates smoothly.     

Mixed mode crack growth in curved beams with radial edge crack

Mixed mode crack growth in curved beams with radial edge crack is predicted by the prominent S-theory. An improved simple engineering method for obtaining approximate stress intensity factors of curved cracked beams is also used. It takes into account the elastic crack tip stress singularity while using the elementary beam theory. The results are in reasonable agreement with the more accurate calculations in literature.     

Analysis of crack moving and curving in anisotropic solids

The general equations for a dynamically curved crack in an anisotropic solid are derived, and the asymptotic fields of a moving crack under arbitrary distributed loading on the crack surface are calculated from them. For a moving crack under mixed-mode loading conditions a general Muskhelishvili type approach is proposed to calculate intensity factors due to crack surface loading in anisotropic materials. The kinking and curving caused by dynamic loading in anisotropic materials are calculated using the maximum normal stress ratio criterion. The results show that cracks in anisotropic solids may deviate from the straight path and approach a direction parallel to the stiff axis even under symmetric loading and that a crack will tend to deviate more from the crack path to the direction of the stiff axis as the crack speed becomes higher.     

内部压力作用下矩形板中源于椭圆孔的分支裂纹应力强度因子的一种数值分析

应用一种边界元方法来研究内部压力作用下矩形板中源于椭圆孔的分支裂纹。该边界元方法由Crouch与Starfied建立的常位移不连续单元和笔者最近提出的裂尖位移不连续单元构成。在该边界元方法的实施过程中,左、右裂尖位移不连续单元分别置于裂纹的左、右裂尖处,而常位移不连续单元则分布于除了裂尖位移不连续单元占据的位置之外的整个裂纹面及其它边界。本数值结果进一步证实这种数值方法对计算有限大板中复杂裂纹的应力强度因子的有效性,同时该数值结果可以揭示裂纹体几何对应力强度因子的影响。     

孔洞对平面裂纹应力强度因子影响分析的广义参数Williams单元

本文采用圆形奇异区广义参数Williams单元（W单元）建立了中心裂纹与圆孔共存的平面应力模型,奇异区外围利用ABAQUS有限元软件自动网格离散技术与FORTRAN95编程前处理相结合,克服了自主编程中网格离散的局限性．算例分析了圆孔位置和几何参数对I-II混合型裂纹尖端应力强度因子(SIFs)的影响,并与扩展有限元法(XFEM)计算结果进行比较．结果表明：靠近圆孔一侧的裂尖SIFs大于远离圆孔一侧的裂尖SIFs;控制圆孔左边缘到裂纹中心的距离,则两侧裂尖SIFs随圆孔半径的增大而增大;圆孔中心与裂纹中心水平距离越远,圆孔对裂纹扩展的影响越小．同时,基于圆形奇异区的W单元直接计算得到的裂尖SIFs与扩展有限元法得到的解吻合较好,证明了W单元对奇异区离散形状不敏感,且具有高效率和高精度．     

压电复合材料中正n边形孔边裂纹的反平面问题研究

本文基于Cauchy积分理论和Schwarz-Christoffel(SC)变换技术,针对压电复合材料中带一条裂纹的正n边形孔口缺陷的反平面断裂力学进行了探究.假设满足电不可通边界条件,利用Cauchy积分公式和留数定理,获得了任意正n边形裂尖处应力和电位移两个场强度因子以及全能量释放率的封闭形式的显式解.当正n边形边...     

FATIGUE GROWTH MODELING OF MIXED-MODE CRACK IN PLANE ELASTIC MEDIA

This paper presents an extension of a displacement discontinuity method with cracktip elements （a boundary element method） proposed by the author for fatigue crack growth analysis in plane elastic media under mixed-mode conditions. The boundary element method consists of the non-singular displacement discontinuity elements presented by Crouch and Starfield and the crack-tip displacement discontinuity elements due to the author. In the boundary element implementation the left or right crack-tip element is placed locally at the corresponding left or right crack tip on top of the non-singular displacement discontinuity elements that cover the entire crack surface and the other boundaries. Crack growth is simulated with an incremental crack extension analysis based on the maximum circumferential stress criterion. In the numerical simulation, for each increment of crack extension, remeshing of existing boundaries is not required because of an intrinsic feature of the numerical approach. Crack growth is modeled by adding new boundary elements on the incremental crack extension to the previous crack boundaries. At the same time, the element characteristics of some related elements are adjusted according to the manner in which the boundary element method is implemented. As an example, the fatigue growth process of cracks emanating from a circular hole in a plane elastic plate is simulated using the numerical simulation approach.     

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.     

A numerical method for crack growth analysis in linearly viscoelastic materials

This paper presents a numerical method for the analysis of crack initiation and extension in linearly viscoelastic materials undergoing Mode I plane stress deformation. Plastic deformation near the crack tip is considered by a strip-yielding model. The crack initiation and growth are taken to follow a critical energy release rate fracture criterion, and the plastic work per unit crack extension is included in the calculation of the total energy release rate. The resulting numerical method is presented in algorithmic form and two example problems are solved to demonstrate its application. The two example problems represent unstable and stable crack propagations respectively. The results obtained lend insight into the effect of creep deformation on the initiation and growth of a crack.     

模拟裂纹扩展的一种有限元局部动态子划分方法

提出了一种有限元子划分结合子结构的方法来模拟裂纹扩展问题。提出的方法中,将单元分为三类:被裂纹贯穿的单元,包含裂尖的单元和常规单元。对前两类单元进行子划分,每个单元的归类随裂纹的扩展而动态变化。覆盖一条裂纹的前两类单元子划分后构成一个子结构,子结构也是动态的,跟随裂纹的扩展而逐步扩大。本文的方法可以使裂纹沿任意路径扩展而不受初始网格的限制,裂纹扩展后无需对结构整体的网格重划分,结构整体分析的总自由度也不变。用该方法计算无限大平面中心裂纹的应力强度因子,模拟三点弯梁跨中裂纹的扩展,验证了计算精度,并进一步用该方法模拟了非均质材料中裂纹的扩展,考核了对复杂裂纹扩展问题的适用性。     

Testing theoretical bases of caustic methods in fracture mechanics and stress analysis

Determination of stress intensity factors using shadow optical method of caustics attracts increasing attention. However, the reliability and ranges of applicability of this method are seldom discussed. This paper presents such an analysis regarding the reliability and predictive power of caustic method in fracture mechanics. This analysis is performed according to the accepted methodology of testing any analytical, numerical, or experimental procedure, namely by testing its theoretical bases. The following four basic assumptions of the shadow optical method of caustics in fracture mechanics, and their consequences, are analyzed: assumption of a generalized plane stress state near crack tip; assumption that the radiant energy used to produce shadow images propagates rectilinearly inside a stressed body; assumption that the light velocity inside a stressed body depends only on stress components in planes normal to wave normals; assumption that there is no alteration in state of polarization of radiation impinging upon a stressed plate at oblique incidence.The first two basic assumptions are tested using results obtained by means of three analytical-experimental procedures, namely isodynes, gradient index method, and classical strain gages. It is known that the inaccuracies of the fourth assumption are within the noise level only when the angles of incidence are small.It is shown that the magnitudes of the effects caused by the geometric lens effect and the gradient index lens effect are comparable, and that the stress states near crack tips and bottoms of notches, which produce the geometric lens effect, are clearly three-dimensional.It is also indicated that the gradient index lens effect is caused jointly by the stress/strain-induced alteration of the optical path and by the bending of the light path caused by strain gradient.Obtained empirical evidence shows the existence of a particular relationship between the observed gradient index lens effect and the order of singularity in a particular singular solution of linear fracture mechanics, with the exception of the vicinity of the crack tip where singularities are inadmissible.