Analytical solutions for cohesive zone models

Solutions are given for a cantilever beam specimen using a beam on elastic foundation model to incorporate various cohesive zone traction laws. These included both positive and negative linear slopes and constant stresses. Negative slopes give rise to multiple solutions. However, all the solutions give very similar results for energy release rate and beam root rotation confirming insensitivity to the form of the traction law. The use of these solutions to analyse peeling is discussed.     

An energy-consistent fracture model for ferroelectrics

The fracture behavior of ferroelectrics has been intensively studied in recent decades, though currently a widely accepted fracture mechanism is still lacking. In this work, enlightened by previous experimental observations that crack propagation in ferroelectrics is always accompa-nied by domain switching, we propose a micromechanical model in which both crack propagation and domain switch-ing are controlled by energy-based criteria. Both electric energy and mechanical energy can induce domain switching, while only mechanical energy can drive crack propagation. Furthermore, constrained domain switching is considered in this model, leading to the gradient domain switching zone near the crack tip. Analysis results show that stress-induced ferroelastic switching always has a toughening effect as the mechanical energy release rate serves as the driving force for both fracture and domain switching. In compari-son, the electric-field-induced switching may have either a toughening or detoughening effect. The proposed model can qualitatively agree with the existing experimental results.     

A simple cohesive zone model that generates a mode-mixity dependent toughness

A simple, mode-mixity dependent toughness cohesive zone model (MDG_c CZM) is described. This phenomenological cohesive zone model has two elements. Mode I energy dissipation is defined by a traction–separation relationship that depends only on normal separation. Mode II (III) dissipation is generated by shear yielding and slip in the cohesive surface elements that lie in front of the region where mode I separation (softening) occurs. The nature of predictions made by analyses that use the MDG_c CZM is illustrated by considering the classic problem of an elastic layer loaded by rigid grips. This geometry, which models a thin adhesive bond with a long interfacial edge crack, is similar to that which has been used to measure the dependence of interfacial toughness on crack-tip mode-mixity. The calculated effective toughness vs. applied mode-mixity relationships all display a strong dependence on applied mode-mixity with the effective toughness increasing rapidly with the magnitude of the mode-mixity. The calculated relationships also show a pronounced asymmetry with respect to the applied mode-mixity. This dependence is similar to that observed experimentally, and calculated results for a glass/epoxy interface are in good agreement with published data that was generated using a test specimen of the same type as analyzed here.     

A thermo-mechanical cohesive zone formulation for ductile fracture

The paper addresses the possibility to project both mechanical and thermal phenomena pertinent to the fracture process zone into a cohesive zone. A wider interpretation of the notion cohesive zone is thereby suggested to comprise not only stress degradation due to micro-cracking but also heat generation and energy transport. According to our experience, this widening of the cohesive zone concept allows for a more efficient finite element simulation of ductile fracture. The key feature of the formulation concerns the thermo-mechanical cohesive zone model, evolving within the thermo-hyperelastoplastic continuum, allowing for the concurrent modelling of both heat generation, due to the fracture process, and heat transfer across the fracture process zone. This is accomplished via thermodynamic arguments to obtain the coupled governing equation of motion, energy equation, and constitutive equations. The deformation map is thereby defined in terms of independent continuous and discontinuous portions of the displacement field. In addition, as an extension of the displacement kinematics, to represent the temperature field associated with the discontinuous heat flux across the fracture interface, a matching discontinuous temperature field involving the interface (or band) temperature is proposed. In the first numerical example, concerning dynamic quasi-brittle crack propagation in a thermo-hyperelastoplastic material, we capture the initial increase in temperature close to the crack surface due to the energy dissipating fracture process. In the second example, a novel application of ductile fracture simulation to the process of high velocity (adiabatic) cutting is considered, where some general trends are observed when varying the cutting velocity.     

A penny-shaped cohesive crack model for material damage

A novel micromechanics based damage model is proposed to address failure mechanism of defected solids with randomly distributed penny-shaped cohesive micro-cracks (Barenblatt–Dugdale type). Energy release contribution to the material damage process is estimated in a representative volume element (RVE) under macro hydrostatic stress state. Macro-constitutive relations of RVE are derived via self-consistent homogenization scheme, and they are characterized by effective nonlinear elastic properties and a class of pressure sensitive plasticity which depends on crack opening volume fraction and Poisson’s ratio. Several distinguished features of the present model are compared with Gurson model and Gurson–Tvergaard–Needleman (GTN) model, showing that the proposed model can better capture material degradation and catastrophic failure due to cohesive micro-crack growth and coalescence.     

Softening behaviour and correction of the fracture energy

The area under the load–displacement softening curve gives the total external work on the test specimen and not the fracture energy. The fracture energy follows from half this area that is equal to the critical strain energy release rate at the first crack increment. For wood this is correctly applied for mode II. For mode I however, as for other materials, the total area is wrongly regarded, a factor 2 is too high. In some applications, based on crack increment cycles, the error is even a multiple of this factor 2. On the other hand, the measurements at softening may show an apparent decrease of the specific fracture energy that can be explained by a small crack joining mechanism when the ultimate state of the ligament of the test specimen is reached. Post fracture behaviour is thus not comparable with the behaviour of macro crack initiation.It is further shown, by the kinetics of the process, that the irreversible work of an ultimate loading cycle is proportional to the activation energy of the fracture process and not to the driving force of the process. This explains why the crack velocity decreases with the increase of this irreversible work and increases with the stress intensity increase.The fracture energy is a function of the Griffith strength and is thus related to the effective width of the test specimen and not to the ligament length. This also has to be corrected. Based on the derivation of the softening curve, the reported fracture toughness of 720 kN m^−1.5 of double-edge notched tests is corrected to 330 kN m^−1.5 and the value of 467 kN m^−1.5, based on the fracture energy, of the compact tension tests, is also corrected to the right value of 330 kN m^−1.5. A revision of published mode I data, based on the fracture energy obtained by the area of the softening curve, is thus necessary.     

A refined cohesive zone model that accounts for inertia of cohesive zone of a moving crack

Existing cohesive zone models assume that actual fracture zone of non-zero mass can be modeled by a line segment (cohesive zone) with no mass and inertia. In the present work, a simplified mass-spring model is presented to study inertia effect of cohesive zone on a mode-I steady-state moving crack. It is showed that fracture energy predicted by the present model increases dramatically when a finite limiting crack speed is approached. Reasonable agreement with known experiments indicates that the present model has the potential to catch the inertia effect of cohesive zone which has been ignored in existing cohesive zone models and better simulate dynamic fracture at high crack speed.     

An improved atomistic simulation based mixed-mode cohesive zone law considering non-planar crack growth

A novel and improved atomistic simulation based cohesive zone law characterizing interfacial debonding is developed which explicitly accounts for the non-planarity of the crack propagation. Group of atoms in the simulation constituting cohesive zones which are used to obtain local stress and crack opening displacement data are determined dynamically during the non-planar crack growth as they cannot be determined apriori. The methodology is used to study the debonding of Σ5 (2 1 0)/[0 0 1] symmetric tilt grain boundary interface in a Cu bicrystal under several mixed mode loading conditions. Simulations show that such bicrystalline specimen exhibits three types of energy dissipative mechanisms – shear coupled GB migration (SCM) away from the crack-tips, change in spacial orientation of GB structural units rendering highly disordered grain boundary near the crack tips and brittle intergranular fracture. Which combination of these three deformation mechanism will be active influencing the degree of non-planarity of the crack propagation at various stages of loading depends on the loading mode-mixity. As the ratio of shear component of the loading parallel to the GB plane and normal to the tilt axis with respect to the normal loading increases (thereby increasing the mode-mixity), overall strain-to-failure also increases and SCM tends to become the dominant deformation mechanism. Through this framework, analytical functional forms and parameters describing cohesive laws for both normal and shear traction as a function of the mode-mixity of the loading and crack opening displacement are predicted.     

Prediction of mixed-mode fracture based on an elasto–plastic energy balance criterion

The maximum energy release rate criterion, i.e., G _max criterion, is commonly used for crack propagation analysis. This fracture criterion is based on the elastic macroscopic strength of materials. In the present investigation, however, the G _max criterion has been modified in order to accommodate the consideration of plastic strain energy. This modified criterion is extended to study the fatigue crack growth characteristics of mixed-mode cracks. To predict crack propagation due to fatigue loads, a new elasto–plastic energy model is presented. This new model includes the effects of material properties such as strain hardening exponent n, yield strength σ _y , and fracture toughness and stress intensity factor ranges. The results obtained are compared with those obtained using the commonly employed crack growth law and the experimental data.     

Coupled mixed-mode cohesive zone modeling of interfacial debonding in simply supported plated beams

The development of predictive models for plate end debonding failures in beams strengthened with thin soffit plates is a topic of great practical relevance. After the early stress-based formulations, fracture mechanics approaches have become increasingly established. More recently, the cohesive zone (CZ) model has been successfully adopted as a bridge between the stress- and fracture mechanics-based treatments. However, the few studies of this nature propose complex formulations which can only be implemented numerically. To date, the only available analytical solution based on CZ modeling for the prediction of interfacial stresses/debonding in plated beams is limited to the determination of interfacial shear stresses and thus neglects the mixed-mode effects generated by the presence of interfacial normal stresses at the plate end. This paper presents a new analytical formulation based on the CZ modeling approach for the prediction of plate end debonding in plated beams. A key enhancement with respect to the previous solution is the use of a coupled mixed-mode CZ model, which enables a full account of mixed-mode effects at the plate end. The model describes the evolution of the interface after the end of the elastic regime, and predicts the value of the load at incipient debonding. The achievement of a closed-form solution for this quite complex case entails the introduction of a crucial simplifying assumption, as well as the ad hoc modeling of an effective cohesive interfacial response. The paper presents the analytical theory and compares its predictions with numerical and experimental results.     

Inverse parameter identification of cohesive zone model for simulating mixed-mode crack propagation

Inverse analysis is widely applied to the identification of material properties or model parameters. In order to improve the computational efficiency of the inverse method based on the genetic algorithm, an interpolation scheme upon the response surface constructed by the finite element simulation has been adopted in this paper. Meanwhile, a gradual homogenization treatment scheme has also been presented to improve the convergence of the inverse method based on the Kalman filter algorithm. Both methods are proven effective in dealing with the single-objective inverse problem. However, literature studies show that the adoption of multiple types of experimental information is useful to improve the accuracy of inverse analysis. In this case, it turns into a multiple-objective inverse problem. Our practice proved that the above-mentioned two methods might not yield a proper result if the sensitivity issue of different types of information is not considered. Therefore, another multi-objective inverse method, in combination of the above two optimization algorithms and a weight-estimating scheme that can consider such sensitivity, has been further presented. Finally, by using a mixed-mode crack propagation simulation and two types of experimental information (loading-displacement response curve and crack path profile), the parameters of the cohesive zone model were inversely identified and its simulation results are in good agreement with the experiment.     

Theoretical development and experimental validation of a thermally dissipative cohesive zone model for dynamic fracture of amorphous polymers

A thermally dissipative cohesive zone model is developed for predicting the temperature increase at the tip of a crack propagating dynamically in a nominally brittle material exhibiting a cohesive-type failure such as crazing. The model assumes that fracture energy supplied to the crack tip region that is in excess of that needed for the creation of new free surfaces during crack advance is converted to heat within the cohesive zone. Bulk dissipation mechanisms, such as plasticity, are not accounted for. Several cohesive traction laws are examined, and the model is then used to make predictions of crack tip heating at various crack propagation speeds in the nominally brittle amorphous polymer PMMA, observed to fail by a crazing-type mechanism. The heating predictions are compared to experimental data where the temperature field surrounding a high speed crack in PMMA was measured. Measurements are made in real time using a multi-point high speed HgCdTe infrared radiation detector array. At the same time as temperature, simultaneous measurement of fracture energy is made by a strain gauge technique, and crack tip speed is monitored through a resistance ladder method. Material strength can be estimated through uniaxial tension tests, thus minimizing the need for parameter fitting in the stress-opening traction law. Excellent agreement between experiments and theory is found for two of the cohesive traction law temperature predictions, but only for the case where a single craze is active during the dynamic fracture of PMMA, i.e. crack tip speed up to approximately 0.2c_R. For higher speed fracture where subsurface damage becomes prominent, the line dissipation model of a cohesive zone is inadequate, and a distributed damage model is needed.     

Molecular-dynamics simulation-based cohesive zone representation of intergranular fracture processes in aluminum

A traction-displacement relationship that may be embedded into a cohesive zone model for microscale problems of intergranular fracture is extracted from atomistic molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations. An MD model for crack propagation under steady-state conditions is developed to analyze intergranular fracture along a flat Σ99 [1 1 0] symmetric tilt grain boundary in aluminum. Under hydrostatic tensile load, the simulation reveals asymmetric crack propagation in the two opposite directions along the grain boundary. In one direction, the crack propagates in a brittle manner by cleavage with very little or no dislocation emission, and in the other direction, the propagation is ductile through the mechanism of deformation twinning. This behavior is consistent with the Rice criterion for cleavage vs. dislocation blunting transition at the crack tip. The preference for twinning to dislocation slip is in agreement with the predictions of the Tadmor and Hai criterion. A comparison with finite element calculations shows that while the stress field around the brittle crack tip follows the expected elastic solution for the given boundary conditions of the model, the stress field around the twinning crack tip has a strong plastic contribution. Through the definition of a Cohesive-Zone-Volume-Element—an atomistic analog to a continuum cohesive zone model element—the results from the MD simulation are recast to obtain an average continuum traction-displacement relationship to represent cohesive zone interaction along a characteristic length of the grain boundary interface for the cases of ductile and brittle decohesion.     

A thermomechanically coupled viscoelastic cohesive zone model at large deformation

A new viscoelastic cohesive zone model is formulated for large deformation conditions and within a fully coupled thermomechanical framework. The model is suitable for the simulation of a wide range of problems especially for polymeric materials. It can capture viscoelastic crack propagation as well as energy dissipation due to this process. Starting from the principles of thermodynamics, a 3D finite element formulation is derived for a fully coupled simultaneous solution of the thermal field and the deformation field. The viscoelastic model is constructed by extending an elastic exponential traction separation law using a simple rheology. The viscous part of the tractions is postulated to have the same characteristic length as the elastic part and that they are related by a single material parameter. A Newtonian dashpot is used to describe the evolution of the viscous separation. Furthermore, thermal effects are accounted for using temperature expressions in both the traction laws and the viscosity of the dashpot, and using a heat conduction law across the interface. The model is implemented within an implicit finite element code and the internal variable is calculated using an internal iteration. Different numerical examples are used to verify the model and a comparison with experimental data shows a satisfactory agreement.     

Investigation on thermomechanical fracture in the framework of configurational forces

A configurational force approach is developed for providing a fresh look onto classical aspects of thermomechanical fracture. The theoretical framework is based on the finite deformation and makes no restrictions on the material response. The integral form of configurational force balance at the crack tip is constructed, and the concentrated configurational body force is decomposed into the inertial and internal parts. The energy release rate is evaluated through the generalized second law of thermodynamics applicable to configurational force system. The theoretical investigation shows that the negative of the projection of the internal configurational force concentrated at the crack tip along the direction of crack propagation plays the role of the energy release rate and acts directly in response to crack propagation. This finding enables us to deal with the thermomechanical fracture problems in material space.     

Crack driving force and energy-momentum tensor in electroelastodynamic fracture

The energy flux integral and the energy-momentum tensor for studying the crack driving force in electroelastodynamic fracture are formulated within the framework of the nonlinear theory of coupled electric, thermal and mechanical fields based on fundamental principles of thermodynamics. This formulation lays a foundation for in-depth understanding of the fracture behavior of piezoelectric materials. Remarkably, the dynamic energy release rate thus obtained has an odd dependence on the electric displacement intensity factor for steady-state propagation of a conventional (unelectroded) crack with exact, electrically permeable, semi-permeable, or impermeable crack surface condition, which is in agreement with experimental evidence.     

Homogenization of intergranular fracture towards a transient gradient damage model

This paper focuses on the intergranular fracture of polycrystalline materials, where a detailed model at the meso-scale is translated onto the macro-level through a proposed homogenization theory. The bottom-up strategy involves the introduction of an additional macro-kinematic field to characterize the average displacement jump within the unit cell. Together with the standard macro-strain field, the underlying processes are propagated onto the macro-scale by imposing the equivalence of power and energy at the two scales. The set of macro-governing equations and constitutive relations are next extracted naturally as per standard thermodynamics procedure. The resulting homogenized microforce balance recovers the so-called ‘implicit’ gradient expression with a transient nonlocal interaction. The homogenized gradient damage model is shown to fully regularize the softening behavior, i.e. the structural response is made mesh-independent, with the damage strain correctly localizing into a macroscopic crack, hence resolving the spurious damage growth observed in many conventional gradient damage models. Furthermore, the predictive capability of the homogenized model is demonstrated by benchmarking its solutions against reference meso-solutions, where a good match is obtained with minimal calibrations, for two different grain sizes.