Application of the strain energy density criterion to ductile fracture

The strain energy density criterion due to Sih is used to predict fracture loads of two thin plates subjected to large elastic-plastic deformation. The prediction is achieved with a finite element analysis which is based on Hill's variational principle for incremental deformations capable of solving gross yielding problems involving arbitrary amounts of deformation. The computed results are in excellent agreement with those obtained in Sih's earlier analysis and with an experimental observation.     

A pseudo-elastic material damage model,part I: Strain energy density criterion

A failure criterion is presented which relates the strain energy density of the material to both yielding and fracture. Cumulative material damage throughout a structural component may be monitored and the relative influence of yielding and stable crack growth assessed. The criterion is demonstrated, using finite element analysis, for center cracked panel specimens differing by material toughness values. From crack growth increment predictions using the uniaxial stress-strain behavior of the material, the criterion predicts the critical value of the strain energy density factor S_c governing crack instability.     

Magnetoelastic formulation of soft ferromagnetic elastic problems with collinear cracks: energy density fracture criterion

Magnetoelasticity is applied to solve collinear crack problems for soft ferromagnetic materials in two dimension. Complex functions are used for reducing the problem to the solution of a system of singular integral equations. The energy density factors are derived for determining how an off-axis magnetic field without mechanical load would influence the direction of crack initiation. The critical conditions are also determined for the case when both magnetic and mechanical load are present.     

Strain energy density criteria for dynamic fracture and dynamic crack branching

Dynamic extension of Sih's fracture criterion based on strain energy density factor, r_c (dW/dV), is used to analyze dynamic crack propagation and branching. Influence of the nonsingular components, which are known as the higher order terms (HOT) in the crack tip stress field, on the strain energy density distribution at a critical distance surrounding the crack tip moving at constant crack velocity is examined. This r_c (dW/dV) fracture criterion is then used to analyze available dynamic photoelastic results of crack branching and of engineering materials.     

Fracture of piezoelectric materials: energy density criterion

In this paper, the concept of energy density factor S for piezoelectric materials is presented. In addition to the mechanical energy the electrical energy is included as well. The direction of crack initiation is assumed to occur when S_min reaches a critical value S_cr that can be used as an intrinsic materials parameter and is independent of the crack geometry and loading. The result agrees with empirical evidence qualitatively and explains rationally the effect of applied electric field on fracture strength: positive electric fields decrease the apparent fracture toughness of piezoelectric materials while negative electric fields increase it.     

The strain energy criterion of mixed-mode brittle fracture

In this paper, we proposed a new cr tenon or mixea-moae brittle fracture, i.e., the strain energy criterion, which can be stated as (K_Ⅰ/K_Ⅰc)² +(K_Ⅰ/K_Ⅰc)²+(K_Ⅱ/K_Ⅱc)²=1. This criterion is shown to be in good agreement with known experimental data.In this paper, an experimental criterion:(K_Ⅰ/K_Ⅰc)^m+(K_Ⅱ/K_Ⅱc)ⁿ=1, 1≤_n^m≤2.is also proposed.     

A variational approach to analyze a natural fault with hydraulic fracture based on the strain energy density criterion

A simplified analytical model of the interaction between a hydraulic fracture and an existing natural fault is developed. The mechanical activation of the natural fault as a result of contact with a pressurized fracture is described for plane strain conditions and quasi-static fracture propagation approximation. Using a variational approach, the normal and shear stresses, as well as the boundaries of the open and sliding zones along the fault, are predicted for three stages of the fracturing process (fracture approaching, coalescence, and fluid penetration). An accumulated concentration of shear stress at the tip of the fault’s sliding zone is shown to create sufficient tensile stress to initiate a new tensile crack on the opposite side of the fault, provided either the differential in situ stress is low or the friction coefficient is sufficiently large. The results of direct numerical simulation of the fracture interaction fit the model predictions made from the strain energy density fracture criterion.     

On the correctness of the energy criterion in fracture mechanics

S. P. Timoshenko Institute of Mechanics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev. Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 31, No. 10, pp. 28–34, October, 1995.     

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.     

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.     

Mode-I crack projection procedure using the strain energy density criterion

A practice used in linear elastic fracture mechanics is the projection of a crack onto a plane normal to the principal tensile stress axes for computing the stress intensity factor K_I. The minimum strain-energy criterion is applied for different crack configurations with the introduction of a safety factor S_i which is the ratio of the strain energy density factor of the projected crack and that of the original crack. Numerous crack configurations are investigated to illustrate the degree of conservativeness of the crack projection procedure.     

Reliability assessment of a bi-material notch: Strain energy density factor approach

Joints of different materials have many applications in structural engineering and microelectronics. In the present contribution the joint is modelled as a bi-material notch. The singular stress field near the notch tip is investigated. Depending on the notch geometry and materials, the stress field can have one or two singularities. It is shown that to study the problem of a crack onset at the notch, both terms have to be taken into account. Criteria for the direction and for crack nucleation are formulated. The approach utilizes the knowledge of the strain energy density factor distribution in a bi-material notch vicinity.     

Strain energy density bounds for linear anisotropic elastic materials

Upper and lower bounds are presented for the magnitude of the strain energy density in linear anisotropic elastic materials. One set of bounds is given in terms of the magnitude of the stress field, another in terms of the magnitude of the strain field. Explicit algebraic formulas are given for the bounds in the case of cubic, transversely isotropic, hexagonal and tetragonal symmetry. In the case of orthotropic symmetry the explicit bounds depend upon the solution of a cubic equation, and in the case of the monoclinic and triclinic symmetries, on the solution of sixth order equations.     

The strain energy density failure criterion applied to notched elastic solids

Application of the strain energy density failure criterion is made to plane notch problems, where the crack now becomes a special case of a more generalized approach to failure. The specific case considered is that of the plane elliptical cavity under remote tension and compression. Both failure loads and fracture trajectories are discussed. It is shown that an additional characteristic dimension provides satisfactory agreement of the theory with available data. Finally, known characteristics of fracture trajectories from a notch tip are shown to be predicted for unstable fracture conditions.     

Crack initiation behavior of functionally graded piezoelectric material: prediction by the strain energy density criterion

Transient response of a functionally graded piezoelectric medium is considered for a through crack under the mixed-mode in-plane mechanical and electric load. Integral transforms and dislocation density functions are employed to reduce the problem to singular integral equations. The energy density factor criterion is applied to obtain the maximum of the minimum energy density factor. This determines the direction of crack initiation. Numerical results display the effects of material constants, loading combination parameter, mechanical loading angle and material gradient parameter on the possible fracture behavior.     

Fracture mechanics of steel plate under Joule heating analyzed by energy density criterion

In the electric-conductive material with fractures, the electric current and Joule heating will induce a local hot spot around the crack tip. By the finite element simulation, this phenomenon has been proved so that it can be applied to the fracture detection for the steel plate. As a result, the temperature variation near the fracture tip must be large enough so that the thermal sensing system can detect the hot spot at the fracture tip. It is necessary to apply large electric current on the steel plate to make obvious temperature variation. However, higher electric current will increase the driving force for the crack growth.     

The strain energy density ratio criterion for predicting cracking direction in composite materials

The strain energy density ratio criterion for predicting cracking direction incomposite materials is proposed.The Tsai-Hill criterion and Norris criterion ofcomposite materials are extended to predict the cracking direction in composites.Thethree criteria are used to analyse the crack propagation problem of the unidirectionalfibre composite sheet with various fibre directions.The predicted results are comparedwith those of the existing normal stress ratio criterion and strain energy densitycriterion.     

Crack initiation behavior in StE690 Steel characterized by strain energy density criterion

The energy density criterion is employed to characterize the crack initiation of pre-cracked specimens. Three-point-bending specimens are used with normalized crack length varying from 0.1 to 0.5. The specimens are made of German steel StE690. The results show that the local energy density increases with almost the same rate with crack extension as the specimen geometry changes. This indicates that the strain energy density can be used to characterize the onset of crack initiation for pre-cracked specimens.     

Triaxial compressive behavior of rock with mesoscopic heterogenous behavior: Strain energy density factor approach

The strain energy density factor approach is used in conjunction with a micromechanics model to investigate the condition and direction of shear failure for brittle rock subjected to triaxial compression. Moderate confinement in addition to localized deformation and damage are considered. Quantified are the effects of the various geometric and load parameters that involve the interaction of microcrack, friction and the confining pressure such that the path of the wing crack is taken into account. The influence of all microcracks with different orientations are introduced into the constitutive relation. The closed-form solution for the complete stress–strain relation of rock containing microcracks is obtained. It is shown that the complete stress–strain relationship includes linear, nonlinear hardening, rapid stress drop and strain softening effects. The theoretical results show that deviation of the direction of wing cracks from the line of the pre-existing crack decreases with increasing confinement pressure and friction coefficient. Theoretical predictions and experimental results show good agreement.