Weight function for a single edge cracked geometry with clamped ends

A single edge cracked geometry with clamped ends is well suited for fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth testing of composites and thin materials. Analysis of fiber bridging phenomenon in the composites and determination of stress intensity factors due to non-uniform stress distributions such as residual and thermal stresses generally require the use of a weight function. This paper describes the development and verification of a weight function for the single edge cracked geometry with clamped ends. Finite element analyses were conducted to determine the stress intensity factors (K) and crack opening displacements (COD) due to different types of stress distributions. The weight function was developed using the K and COD solution for a constant stress distribution. K and COD predicted using this weight function correlated well with the finite element results for non-uniform crack surface stress distributions.     

A weight function method for mixed modes hole‐edge cracks

A weight function approach is proposed to calculate the stress intensity factor and crack opening displacement for cracks emanating from a circular hole in an infinite sheet subjected to mixed modes load. The weight function for a pure mode II hole‐edge crack is given in this paper. The stress intensity factors for a mixed modes hole‐edge crack are obtained by using the present mode II weight function and existing mode I Green (weight) function for a hole‐edge crack. Without complex derivation, the weight functions for a single hole‐edge crack and a centre crack in infinite sheets are used to study 2 unequal‐length hole‐edge cracks. The stress intensity factor and crack opening displacement obtained from the present weight function method are compared well with available results from literature and finite element analysis. Compared with the alternative methods, the present weight function approach is simple, accurate, efficient, and versatile in calculating the stress intensity factor and crack opening displacement.     

A weight function technique for partially closed inclined edge cracks analysis

The Green Functions, giving the Crack Opening Displacement components of an inclined edge crack under general loading conditions, were obtained starting from the matrix-like structure of the Weight Functions developed for determining the Stress Intensity Factors. The mathematical formulation of the problem is presented and the computational efficiency of the method is demonstrated by solving and discussing the non linear problem of a partially closed inclined edge crack under bending. By means of an iterative procedure, the closed portion of the crack is determined and the effects of normal and friction contact forces on the Crack Opening Displacement components and on the Stress Intensity Factors are discussed. The efficiency and the accuracy of this approach are assessed by comparison with Finite Element solutions.     

Wide‐range and accurate mixed‐mode weight functions and stress intensity factors for cracked discs

The Wu‐Carlsson displacement‐based weight function method is extended to obtain the mode I and mode II weight functions for the edge‐ and centre‐cracked discs. Compared with Fett's direct adjustment weight functions for the edge‐cracked discs, the present weight functions are more accurate and are applicable for a wider range of crack lengths. Using the present weight functions, extensive and highly accurate mixed‐mode stress intensity factors are obtained for the cracked discs subjected to diametrically compressive forces. Assuming perfect contact and using Coulomb friction law and the present weight functions, the mode II stress intensity factors for the cracked discs with consideration of friction are obtained and widely compared with the corresponding results from finite element analyses.     

A general weight function for inclined kinked edge cracks in a semi-plane

A general method for evaluating the Stress Intensity Factors (SIFs) of an inclined kinked edge crack in a semi-plane is presented. An analytical Weight Function (WF) with a matrix structure was derived by extending a method developed for an inclined edge crack. The effects of the principal geometrical parameters governing the problem were studied through a parametric Finite Element (FE) analysis, carried out for different reference loading conditions. The WF can be used to produce efficient and accurate evaluations of the SIFs for cracks with initial inclination angle in the range −60° to +60° and kinked angle in the range from −90° to +90°. The agreement between the results with those obtained by accurate FE solutions suggests that the proposed WF can be used as a general tool for evaluating the fracture mechanics parameters of an inclined kinked crack.     

Approximate weight function technique using single-layer potential for a cracked circular disc

An efficient weight function technique using the indirect boundary integral method was presented for cracked circular discs. The crack opening displacement field was presented by a single layer whose kernel was a modified form of the fundamental solution in elastostatics. The application of a single-layer potential to the weight function method leads to a unique closed-form SIF (stress intensity factor) solution. The solution can be applied to a cracked circular discs with or without an internal hole or opening. For these crack geometries over a wide range of crack ratios, the SIF solution can be applied without any modification.

The calculation procedure of SIFs for the various cracked circular discs using only one analytical solution is very simple and straightforward. The information necessary in the analysis includes only two or three reference load cases. In most cases the SIF solution using two reference SIFs gives reasonably accurate results while the SIF solution with three reference load cases may be used to improve the solution accuracy of the crack configurations, with an internal opening or hole, compared with the solutions of the available literature.     

Improved hybrid displacement function (IHDF) element scheme for analysis of Mindlin–Reissner plate with edge effect

For a Mindlin–Reissner plate subjected to transverse loadings, the distributions of the rotations and some resultant forces may vary very sharply within a narrow district near certain boundaries. This edge effect is indeed a great challenge for conventional finite element analysis. Recently, an effective hybrid displacement function (HDF) finite element method was successfully developed for solving such difficulty 1 , 2 . Although good performances can be obtained in most cases, the distribution continuity of some resulting resultants is destroyed when coarse meshes are employed. Moreover, an additional local coordinate system must be used for avoiding a singular problem in matrix inversion, which makes the derivations more complicated. Based on a modified complementary energy functional containing Lagrangian multipliers, an improved HDF (IHDF) element scheme is proposed in this work. And two new special IHDF elements, named by IHDF‐P4‐Free and IHDF‐P4‐SS1, are constructed for modeling plate behaviors near free and soft simply supported boundaries, respectively. The present modeling scheme not only greatly improves the precision of the numerical results but also avoids usage of the additional local Coordinate system. The numerical tests demonstrate that the new IHDF element scheme is an effective way for solving the challenging edge effect problem in Mindlin–Reissner plates. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

FEM for evaluation of weight functions for SIF, COD and higher-order coefficients with application to a typical wedge splitting specimen

In the evaluation of accurate weight functions for the coefficients of first few terms of the linear elastic crack tip fields and the crack opening displacement (COD) using the finite element method (FEM), singularities at the crack tip and the loading point need to be properly considered. The crack tip singularity can be well captured by a hybrid crack element (HCE), which directly predicts accurate coefficients of first few terms of the linear elastic crack tip fields. A penalty function technique is introduced to handle the point load. With the use of these methods numerical results of a typical wedge splitting (WS) specimen subjected to wedge forces at arbitrary locations on the crack faces are obtained. With the help of appropriate interpolation techniques, these results can be used as weight functions. The range of validity of the so-called Paris equation, which is widely used in the evaluation of the COD from the stress intensity factors (SIFs), is established.     

An effective hybrid displacement function element method for solving the edge effect of Mindlin–Reissner plate

In bending problems of Mindlin–Reissner plate, the resultant forces often vary dramatically within a narrow range near free and soft simply‐supported (SS1) boundaries. This is so‐called the edge effect or the boundary layer effect, a challenging problem for conventional finite element method. In this paper, an effective finite element method for analysis of such edge effect is developed. The construction procedure is based on the hybrid displacement function (HDF) element method [1], a simple hybrid‐Trefftz stress element method proposed recently. What is different is that an additional displacement function f related to the edge effect is considered, and its analytical solutions are employed as the additional trial functions for the first time. Furthermore, the free and the SS1 boundary conditions are also applied to modify the element assumed resultant fields. Then, two new special elements, HDF‐P4‐Free and HDF‐P4‐SS1, are successfully constructed. These new elements are allocated along the corresponding boundaries of the plate, while the other region is modeled by the usual HDF plate element HDF‐P4‐11 β [1]. Numerical tests demonstrate that the present method can effectively capture the edge effects and exactly satisfy the corresponding boundary conditions by only using relatively coarse meshes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A direct determination of weight functions for arbitrary three-dimensional cracks – a combined analytical and numerical approach

A combined analytical and numerical method is proposed for the determination of the weight functions of stress intensity factors of cracks in an arbitrary three-dimensional elastic body. Having defined the weight functions for a given geometry of a structure, the stress intensity factors for arbitrary loading conditions can be obtained by a simple inner product of the weight function and a traction vector. Traditionally weight functions are defined in the two ways; the one is defined by the hyper-singular term of the eigen-function expansion of the displacement field of a cracked body, and the other is defined by the variation of displacement field with respect to a virtual extension of a crack. In the present paper, the weight functions for stress intensity factors are defined by applying the Maxwell-Betti's reciprocal theorem to an original problem and the auxiliary problems subjected to three kinds of force-couples acting on the crack surfaces near the limiting periphery of an arbitrary three-dimensional crack. In the present formulation, weight functions can be calculated by using a general-purpose finite element code combined with analytical expressions near the condensation point, where hyper-singularities exist. The validity of the method is confirmed by two- and three-dimensional illustrative examples.     

Stress intensity factors for surface cracks in single‐edge notch bend specimen by a three‐dimensional weight function method

Stress intensity factors for half‐elliptical surface cracks at a semi‐circular notch in a recently developed single‐edge notch bend specimen are determined for a wide range of geometrical parameters using a three‐dimensional weight function method. Two load cases of pin loading and uniform remote tension are considered. The results are in good agreement with abaqus/franc3d finite element analysis. It is found that the Ziegler–Newman engineering similitude approach (programmed into the Fatigue Crack Growth Structural Analysis life‐prediction code) produces good results for a wide range in a/c ratios. Expressions by multi‐variable curve fitting to the weight function results are presented for easy engineering applications.     

Finite element implementation of thermal weight function method for calculating transient SIFs of a body subjected to thermal shock

The thermal weight function (TWF) is a universal function, which is dependent only on the crack configuration and body geometry, and is independent of temperature fields. The TWF method is especially suitable for determining the variation of transient stress intensity factors (SIFs) of a cracked body subjected to thermal shock. TWF is independent of time during thermal shock, so the whole variation of transient SIFs can be directly calculated through integration of the products of TWF and transient temperatures and temperature gradients. The repeated determinations of the distributions of stresses (or displacements) fields for individual time instants are thus avoided in the TWF method, which are necessary when the direct method through analyses of thermo-elasticity or the mechanical weight function (MWF) method is applied. The finite element implementation of the TWF method for Mode I in plane stress, plane strain and axisymmetric problems are presented in this paper. In the TWF method, the integration should be carried out around the boundary as well as over the whole volume. So, it is a practical and useful way to develop an integrated system of programs for solving the thermal shock problems by means of the TWF method, which has been developed by authors. Examples show that the scheme shown in this paper is of very high efficiency and of good accuracy.     

Stress intensity factors for corner cracks in single‐edge notch bend specimen by a three‐dimensional weight function method

A three‐dimensional (3D) weight function method is employed to calculate stress intensity factors of quarter‐elliptical corner cracks at a semi‐circular notch in the newly developed single‐edge notch bend specimen. Corner cracks covering a wide range of geometrical parameters under pin‐loading and remote tension conditions are analysed. Stress intensity factors from the 3D weight function analysis agree well with ABAQUS‐Franc3D finite element results. An engineering similitude approach previously developed for the half‐elliptical surface crack in single‐edge notch bend specimen is also applied to the present corner crack configuration. The results compare well with those from the present weight function analysis.     

Modeling and monitoring the nonlinear profile of heat treatment process data by using an approach based on a hyperbolic tangent function

In this article, a new approach is proposed which uses the hyperbolic tangent function to model and monitor vacuum heat treatment process data. The proposed hyperbolic tangent function approach is compared to the smoothing spline approach. The latter serves as the benchmark when the vacuum heat treatment profile is investigated. The vector of the obtained parameter estimates is monitored by using Hotelling's method for the hyperbolic tangent function approach, and the metrics method used for the smoothing spline approach. For the purposes of verification, data from a real aluminum alloy heat treatment process is used to illustrate the proposed approach. In Phase I, the modified hyperbolic tangent function and the smoothing spline are first utilized to fit the process data. The proposed approach provides a better fitting result than the smoothing spline approach. In Phase II, the proposed approach produces a much better out-of-control average run length (ARL) performance than the smoothing spline approach when the heat treatment profile shows process abnormalities.     

裂尖具线性分布约束应力的运动裂纹模型及其解析解

以恒定速度运动的Griffith裂纹解析解为著名的Yoffe解。静止裂纹的条状屈服模型即Dugdale模型,将其推广到运动裂纹模型时发现,当裂纹运动速度跨越Rayliegh波速时,裂纹张开位移COD趋于(∞,且表现为间断。通过在裂尖引入一个约束应力区及两个速度效应函数,假设约束应力为线性分布,采用复变函数方法,求得动态应力强度因子SIF与裂纹张开位移COD的解析解。新的结果,在Rayleigh波速下裂纹张开位移连续且为有限值。给出裂纹张开位移的一些数值结果,获得了一些有意义的结论。