Failure modes of specimens containing surface flaws under cyclic torsion

Turbine-generator shafts are often subjected to a complex transient torsional loading. Such a torsional loading may initiate yielding at the outer radius of the shaft or in the fillets. The methods for predicting turbine-shaft fatigue life due to transient loading depent upon the mode of crack growth from an undetected crack. The most common location for the existence of a crack is the fillets or shoulders of the shaft. Specimens were designed from AISI 4340 steel with two diametrically opposed flat surfaces. Initial defect orientations of 0 deg, 45 deg and 90 deg with respect to the sepcimen axis on the fillet were studied. The specimens were subjected to cyclic torsion with zero mean torque and with a torque amplitude necessary to cause yielding at the outer radius of the specimen. When initial defects were aligned with a plane of maximum shear stress (0 deg and 90 deg), the cracks propagated along that plane. For 45-deg defects (aligned to a plane of maximum tensile stress) the crack still propagated along the plane of maximum shear. However, the number of cycles to initiate and to propagate the crack to failure for 45-deg defects were (two to three times) larger than those for 0-deg and 90-deg defects. Mode II and Mode III crack-growth rates were measured from specimens containing 0-deg and 90-deg defects. It was found that the crack-growth rate in Mode II was higher than in Mode III. However, all the specimens failed due to reduction of the net cross section, mostly attributed to Mode III crack growth. Similar results were obtained from specimens of turbine-shaft material (A469 steel), and 2024 aluminum with different rolling directions. Fatigue-crack-growth rates in Mode III were measured from circumferentially notched bar. They were found to be a unique function of ΔK _III alternating stress intensity in Mode III. It was found that the mechanism of crack growth is produced by the formation and linkage of elongated cavities at the crack tip.     

Path-independent integrals for the direct determination of stress intensity factors in certain classical crack problems

Stress intensity factors have been determine directly for certain special crack problems with the help of J or other path-independent integrals. Such procedures have not been used successfully in what are perhaps the most classical of all crack problems: those in two dimensions involving a crack of finite length in an infinite medium with loading at infinity of either Mode I, Mode II or Mode III type. We give a new class of path-independent integrals which are suitable for this purpose.     

Mode III fracture behavior of laminated composite with edge crack in torsion

A three-dimensional (3-D) finite element analysis was performed on a [90,(+45/−45)_n,(−45/+45)_n,90]_s class of laminated composites under the edge crack torsion (ECT) test configuration. Finite element delamination models were established and formulas for calculating the Mode III fracture toughness from 3-D finite element models were developed. The relations between the interlaminar fracture behavior and various configuration parameters were investigated and the effects of point loads, ends, geometry, Mode II interference, and friction were evaluated. Results showed that with proper selection of ECT specimen configuration and layup, the delamination could grow in pure Mode III in the middle region of the specimen. Specimen end effect played an important role in the ECT test. A Mode II component occurred in the end regions but it did not interfere significantly with the Mode III delamination state. Specimen dimension ratio, layup, and crack length exhibited significant effect on the interlaminar fracture behavior and the calculated strain energy release rates. However, friction between crackfaces was found to have negligible effect on the interlaminar properties.     

Anti-plane shear of kinked interface crack in bonded dissimilar anisotropic solid

Complex potentials are derived to describe the anti-plane singular shear stress fields around a kinked crack, the main portion of which is embedded along the interface of two dissimilar anisotropic elastic media. This is accomplished by formulating the problem as singular integral equations with generalized Cauchy kernels. The shear stress singularity at the kink differs from the familiar inverse square root of the local distance; it is found to influence the magnitude of the Mode III crack tip stress intensity factor, K₃. Numerical results of K₃ are obtained and displayed in graphical forms for different degree of material anisotropy and crack dimensions.     

Observations on Mode I and III fracture of steel and PMMA

Considered in this work are the Mode I and III fractures of W18Cr4V steel, 60Si2Mn steel and PMMA specimens. The mixed mode critical stress intensity factor, denoted by K_1f, is shown to be greater than K_1c for Mode I. The ratio K_1f/K_1c depends on the ways in which K₁ and K₃ interact and is affected by the position of the load with reference to the crack position. Analytical and experimental results are presented and discussed in connection with the microfracture surface observed experimentally.     

Anisotropic plastic stress fields at a slowly propagating crack tip

Under the condition that any perfectly plastic stress components at a crack tip are nothing but the functions of 0 only making use of equilibrium equations. Hill anisotropic yield condition and unloading stress-strain relations, in this paper, we derive the general analytical expressions of anisotropic plastic stress fields at the slowly steady propagating tips of plane and anti-plane strain. Applying these general analytical expressions to the concrete cracks, the analytical expressions of anisotropic plastic stress fields at the-slowly steady propagating tips of Mode I and Mode III cracks are obtained. For the isotropic plastic material, the anisotropic plastic stress fields at a slowly propagating crack tip become the perfectly plastic stress fields.     

The elastic-plastic stress distribution near the flat surfaced notch with cycloidal tip in a work-hardening material

Summary Based on a deformation theory of plasticity, the stress distribution near an edge crack having finite root radius in strain-hardening material is given for the case of antiplane shear (Mode III). The approximate solution is derived in an analytical form by using Neuber's result and integral J by Rice.

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Übersicht Unter Zugrundelegung der Deformationstheorie der Plastizität wird die Spannungsverteilung in der Nähe eines Randrisses mit endlichem Radius für den Fall des nichtebenen Schubspannungszustandes (Mode III) und eines dehnungsverfestigenden Materials gegeben. Die angenäherte Lösung wird durch Verwendung der Ergebnisse von Neuber sowie dem J-Integral von Rice in analytischer Form erhalten.

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In honour of the 70th birthday of Professor H. Neuber.     

Asymptotic fields around an interfacial crack with a cohesive zone ahead of the crack tip

This paper considers an interfacial crack with a cohesive zone ahead of the crack tip in a linearly elastic isotropic bi-material and derives the mixed-mode asymptotic stress and displacement fields around the crack and cohesive zone under plane deformation conditions (plane stress or plane strain). The field solution is obtained using elliptic coordinates and complex functions and can be represented in terms of a complete set of complex eigenfunction terms. The imaginary portion of the eigenvalues is characterized by a bi-material mismatch parameter ε = arctanh(β)/π, where β is a Dundurs parameter, and the resulting fields do not contain stress singularity. The behaviors of “Mode I” type and “Mode II” type fields based on dominant eigenfunction terms are discussed in detail. For completeness, the counterpart for the Mode III solution is included in an appendix.     

Antiplane deformation of a partially bonded elliptical inclusion

A new method that introduces two holomorphic potential functions (the two-phase potentials) is applied to analyze the antiplane deformation of an elliptical inhomogeneity partially-bonded to an infinite matrix. Elastic fields are obtained when either the matrix is subject to a uniform longitudinal shear or the inhomogeneity undergoes a uniform shear transformation. The stress field possesses the square-root singularity of a Mode III interface crack, which, in the special case of a rigid line inhomogeneity, changes in order, as the crack tip approaches the inhomogeneity end. In the latter situation the crack-tip elastic fields are linear in two real stress intensity factors related to a strong and a weak singularity of the stress field.     

Discrete dislocation simulations of the development of a continuum plastic zone ahead of a stationary Mode III crack

We present results from discrete dislocation simulations showing the development of the plastic zone in front of a Mode III crack under constant load. We find that the equilibrated zone is circular, in agreement with continuum mechanics predictions of the elastic-perfectly plastic Mode III crack. The size of the equilibrated zone scales as the square of the applied load (K_III), also in agreement with the continuum results. The zone approaches saturation exponentially, with a time that scales as K_III²/σ_p³, where σ_p is the Peierls stress. These results delineate conditions under which the classical, continuum predictions of elastic-plastic fracture mechanics are applicable.     

Perfectly plastic stress field at a stationary crack tip

Under the hypothesis that all the perfectly plastic stress components at a orach tip are the functions of θ only, making use of yield conditions and equilibrium equations. we derive the generally analytical expressions of the perfectly plastic stress field at a crack tip. Applying these generally analytical expressions to the concrete cracks, the analytical expressions of perfectly plastic stress fields at the tips of Mode Ⅰ Mode Ⅱ, Mode Ⅲ and Mixed Mode Ⅰ-Ⅱ cracks are obtained.     

Effect of yield surface vertex on crack-tip fields in mode III

An asymptotic crack-tip analysis of stress and strain fields is carried out for an antiplane shear crack (Mode III) based on a corner theory of plasticity. Because of the nonproportional loading history experienced by a material element near the crack tip in stable crack growth, classical flow theory may predict an overly stiff response of the elastic plastic solid, as is the case in plastic buckling problems. The corner theory used here accounts for this anomalous behavior. The results are compared with those of a similar analysis based on the J₂ flow theory of plasticity.     

Mode III Stress-intensity factors in cracked orthotropic plates—An analogy with propagating cracks in isotropic media

In this paper, the method of reflected caustics—which was used to evaluate Mode III SIF's in stationary cracks in isotropic plates—was extended to deal with stationary cracks in orthotropic plates. Furthermore, a correspondence between the anisotropic stationary case and the case of a Mode III dynamic crack, traversing an isotropic plate, is developed by analyzing appropriately the governing equations of the two problems. For this purpose the singulardisplacement field for rectilinearly orthotropic cracked bodies was combined with either Yoffé's model for steady-state, or Broberg's model for transient-crack propagation. Graphs are given where the equivalence between these cases can be established. In this way, the dynamic problem of the propagating crack in an isotropic medium can be readily simulated by considering the experimentally easier anisotropic stationary case.     

Stress intensity factors of an oblique edge crack subjected to normal and shear tractions

Stress intensity factors (SIFs) were obtained for an oblique crack under normal and shear traction and remote extension loads. The oblique crack was modeled as the pseudodislocation. The stress field due to tractions was solved by the Flamant solution. The SIR of Mode I and Mode II (K_Iand K_II) were then obtained. Finite element analysis was performed with ABAQUS and compared with the analytical solutions. The analytical solutions were in good agreement with the results of FEM. From investigating SIFs and their ranges, the following results were obtained. The growth rate of an oblique edge crack decreased due to the reduction in the SIF ranges. The crack driving force depended on the obliquity, the normal traction and the ratio of crack to traction length. The peak value of shear traction was found as a key parameter to accelerate the crack growth.     

A theoretical investigation on the vibrational characteristics and torsional dynamic response of circumferentially cracked turbo-generator shafts

Turbo-generator shafts are often subjected to complex dynamic torsional loadings, resulting in generation and propagation of circumferential cracks. Mode III fatigue crack growth generally results in a fracture surface consisting of peaks and valleys, resembling a factory roof. The fracture surface roughness depends on the material microstructure, the material yield strength, and the applied cyclic torque amplitude. This crack pattern can severely affect the vibration characteristics of the shafts. The accurate evaluation of the torsional dynamic response of the turbo-generator shafts entails considering the local sources of energy loss in the crack vicinity. The two most common sources of the energy loss are the local energy loss due to the plasticity at the crack tip and frictional energy loss due to interaction of mutual crack surfaces. A theoretical procedure for evaluating the values of the system loss factors corresponding to these sources of energy loss is presented. Furthermore, the local flexibility is obtained by evaluating the resistance of the cracked section of the shaft to the rotational displacement. The shaft material is assumed to be elastic perfectly plastic. The effects of the applied Mode III stress intensity factor and the crack surface pattern parameters on the energy loss due to the friction and the energy loss due to the plasticity at the crack tip are investigated. The results show that depending on the amplitude of the applied Mode III stress intensity factor, one of these energy losses may dominate the total energy loss in the circumferentially cracked shaft. The results further indicate that the torsional dynamic response of the turbo-generator shaft is significantly affected by considering these two sources of the local energy loss.     

Plasticity aspects of interfacial fracture for polymer/glass specimens

Experimental results suggest that the interfacial fracture resistance is minimal for approximate near tip Mode I accompanied by positive and negative near tip Mode II. Finite-strain FE analysis is made for an elastic–plastic medium bonded to an ideally elastic medium with an interface crack. Small-scale plasticity conditions are invoked and examined in relation to the elastic–plastic stress distribution along the bond line. Plasticity engenders a tendency to turn near tip biaxiality towards pure Mode I regardless of the mixed-mode loading. High levels of hydrostatic stress are attained. For different mode mixities of the applied load, the dependence of the elastic–plastic normal bond stress on load level is examined. It is found that under positive Mode II loading, the normal bond stress σ_yy tends to saturate as the load level rises. This does not occur for Mode I and negative Mode II loading. In addition, deformation patterns inside the plastic zone are examined for mixed-mode situations. A displacement criterion based on the normal bond crack opening suggests a dependence of the critical load level on the extent of mixed mode. Under positive mode II fracture, traces of the ductile material are found at the top of the elastic substrate. Some of these conclusions appear to be consistent with the fracture patterns observed for LD-polyethylene/glass interfacial mixed-mode fracture.     

Analysis of dynamic mixed-mode isochromatics

The mixed-mode, elastodynamic state of stress in the neighborhood of a constant-velocity crack tip is used to generate numerically unsymmetric isochromatics. Unsymmetry associated with the third-order terms of a mixed-mode stress field, with and without the Mode II singular stress term, is also investigated. In extractingK _I from an unsymmetric isochromatic pattern, errors in the Mode I fracture parameters due to the assumed presence ofK _II in aK _I stress field were found to be significant when data are taken more than 4 mm from the crack tip. Paper was presented at V International Congress on Experimental Mechanics held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on June 10–15, 1984.     

Near tip field for pseudo Mode II crack growth: Power law hardening material

The asymptotic behavior of stress and strain near the tip of a Mode II crack growing in power law hardening material is analyzed by assuming that the crack grows straight ahead even though tests show otherwise. The results show that the stress and strain possess the singularities of (ln r)^2/(n−1) and (ln r)^2n/(n−1) respectively. The distance from the crack tip is r, and n is the hardening exponent, i.e. σⁿ. The amplitudes of the stress and strain near the crack tip are determined by the asymptotic analysis.     

Exponential stress and strain singularity at tip of mode I growing crack in power hardening plastic material

The stress-strain distribution near the tip of a Mode I growing crack in a power hardening plastic material is reconsidered. Two types of asymptotic equations are derived and solved numerically. It is shown that when the crack tip is approached, the stress is singular of the order r^−δ, while the strain is singular of the order r^−nδ, where r is the distance measured from the crack tip. The parameter δ is a constant; it depends on the hardening exponent n being greater than one.     

Dynamic stress intensity factor K III and dynamic crack propagation characteristics of anisotropic materials

Based on the mechanics of anisotropic materials, the dynamic propagation problem of a mode Ⅲ crack in an infinite anisotropic body is investigated. Stress, strain and displacement around the crack tip are expressed as an analytical complex function, which can be represented in power series. Constant coefficients of series are determined by boundary conditions. Expressions of dynamic stress intensity factors for a mode Ⅲ crack are obtained. Components of dynamic stress, dynamic strain and dynamic displacement around the crack tip are derived. Crack propagation characteristics are represented by the mechanical properties of the anisotropic materials, i.e., crack propagation velocity M and the parameter ~. The faster the crack velocity is, the greater the maximums of stress components and dynamic displacement components around the crack tip are. In particular, the parameter α affects stress and dynamic displacement around the crack tip.