Predicting fully plastic mode II crack growth from an asymmetric defect

Asymmetrically cracked specimens fail with considerably less ductility than symmetrically cracked ones, due to the crack progressing along a shear band into pre-damaged material. A formulation for the accumulation of damage ahead of an asymmetric crack is presented, based on strain increments following a power law relation. These results are integrated both numerically and approximately.The crack growth per unit displacement increases approximately as the logarithm of the total crack advance per inclusion spacing , and varies inversely as the critical fracture strain c. This provides a basis for predicting large-scale, fully plastic fracture from asymmetric weld defects, using small-scale laboratory specimens.

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Résumé Les éprouvettes fissurées de manière asymétrique se rompent avec beaucoup moins de ductilité que celles qui sont fissurées de manières symétrique, en raison du fait que la fissure se développe suivant une bande de cisaillement dans un matériau préendommagé. On Présente une formulation de l'accumulation du dommage en avant d'une fissure asymétrique, en se basant sur des gradients de déformations répartis selon une loi quadratique. L'interprétation des résultats est effectuée par voie numérique et par approximation.On constate que le croissance d'une fissure par unité de déplacement est sensiblement proportionnelle au logarithme de l'avancement total de la fissure rapporté à l'espacement entre deux inclusions , et en raison inverse de la déformation critique à la rupture c. Ceci fournt une base pour prédire une rupture à plus grande échelle et en conditions tout à fait plastiques, qui résulteront de défauts de soudage asymétriques, et ce en utilisant des éprouvettes réduites de laboratoire.

     

The plastic stress ahead of a mixed mode I and II plane stress crack

The small scale yielding for mixed mode I and II plane stress crack problems in elastic perfectly-plastic solids is analysed by considering the stress field near the crack line. By expanding the stresses near the crack line and matching the stress field in the plastic zone with the elastic dominant field for a blunt crack near the crack line at the elastic-plastic boundary, the problem is reduced to solving a system of nonlinear algebraic equations. The relationship between the near-field mixity parameter M^p and the far-field mixity parameter M^e is detennined by solving the system of equations numerically. Analogous to Shih's calculation by the finite element method for the small scale yielding of mixed mode plane strain crack problems, the numerical results indicate that the shift from a mixed mode to a pure mode may not be a smooth one.     

Tests and interpretation of mixed mode I and II fully plastic fracture from simulated weld defects

Most fracture tests use symmetric specimens, with the crack advancing into the relatively undamaged region between two plastic shear zones. A crack near a weld or shoulder, loaded into the plastic range, may have only a single shear band, along which the crack grows into prestrained and damaged material with less ductility than the usual symmetrical configurations. Tests on six alloys show that the crack growth ductility, defined as the minimum displacement per unit ligament reduction, is less in the asymmetric case than in the symmetric one by a factor of 3 for low-hardening alloys (with strain hardening exponents n 0.1). This means that with lowhardening (typically high strength) alloys, the surrounding structure must be 3 times stiffer for fracture-stable design. For higher hardening alloys (n 0.23) the crack growth ductility is less in the asymmetric case by a factor of at most 1.2. The crack initiation ductility (here approximately the crack tip displacement CTD) is relatively unaffected by asymmetry, but it cannot always be relied on for ductility (e.g., in low cycle fatigue). Therefore tests such as these on crack growth ductility are needed for help in design and maintenance of structuresTriaxiality on one side of the asymmetric shear crack diverts it from 45 deg to 38–41 deg (from the transverse direction), the smaller diversion with less strain hardening. In addition, the far field displacement vector is 51 to 63 deg from transverse, more with high hardening, suggesting a mode I component even where the non-hardening slip line field predicts a pure shear displacement.

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Résumé La plupart des essais de rupture recourent à des éprouvette symétriques, où la fissure progresse dans une région relativement peu endommagée comprise entre deux zones déformées plastiquement par cisaillement. Cependant, une fissure au voisinage d'une soudure ou d'un épaulement, sollicitée dans le domaine plastique, peut ne comporter qu'une bande de glissement par cisaillement, le long de laquelle elle progresse, dans un matériau écroui et endommagé et comportant de ce fait une ductilité moindre que le matériau présent dans les configurations classiques.Des essais sur six alliages ont montré que la ductilité par rapport à la croissance de la fissure, définie comme le déplacement minimum pour une réduction unitaire du ligament, est réduite d'un facteur 3 pour les alliages peu sensibles à l'écrouissage (n=0.1) dans le cas assymétrique par rapport au cas symétrique. Cela signifie que des alliages à faible durcissement par écrouissage, par exemple les alliages à haute résistance, doivent présenter une structure environnante trois fois plus raide pour permettre une conception selon fissuration stable. Pour les alliages à sensibilité plus grande à l'écrouissage (n 0.23), la ductilité vis-à-vis de l'amorçage d'une fissure-à savoir ici le déplacement à la pointe de la fissure-est relativement peu affectée par l'asymétrie; cependant on ne peut pas toujours s'y fier pour exprimer la ductilité (p.ex. en fatigue olygocyclique). Dès lors, de tels essais de ductilité à la croissance d'une fissure sont utiles pour la conception et la surveillance des constructions.Du fait de la triaxialité agissant sur un côté d'une fissure de cisaillement asymétrique, l'angle de cisaillement par rapport à la direction transversale se réduit de 45° à 38–41°, la plus petite divergence correspondant au plus faible écrouissage. En outre, le vecteur de déplacement du champ éloigné est incliné de 51° à 60° sur la direction transversale, d'autant plusque l'écrouissage est élevé, ce qui suggère qu'une composante de mode I prend place, même lorsque le champ de bandes de glissement sans durcissement laisse prévoir un cisaillement pur.

     

Role of plastic zone in crack growth direction criterion under mixed mode loading

An approach to determine the crack growth direction under mixed-mode loading conditions is presented. The plastic zone shape around the crack tip is applied for evaluating angle of crack propagation. It is proposed that a mixed-mode crack will extend along the plastic zone radius with a minimum value. The prediction of the proposed criterion is compared with the experimental data and other models. The agreement is fairly good.     

Solute distribution in crack tips under mixed mode I/II conditions

Summary Concentration solutions of crack problems under steady state conditions are expressed in terms of the Westergaard stress function. The problem of a central crack in an infinite plate subjected to a biaxial stress field at any angle of inclination with respect to the crack axis is considered in detail. The concentration distribution in the vicinity of the crack tip is obtained and is expressed in terms of the opening-mode and sliding-mode stress intensity factors. Constant terms, usually omitted, are incorporated into the concentration solution. The crack growth criterion based on the maximum concentration of diffusing species in front of the crack tip is reformulated by incorporating the constant terms of the concentration solution. It is shown that the omission of the constant terms may result in a significant error in the prediction of the critical quantities for crack growth.     

Shear mode fatigue crack growth in 1050 aluminium

The shear mode crack growth mechanism in 1050 aluminium was investigated using pre‐cracked specimens. A small blind hole was drilled in the centre section of the specimens in order to predetermine the crack initiation position, and a push–pull fatigue test was used to make a pre‐crack. Crack propagation tests were carried out using both push–pull and cyclic torsion with a static axial load. With push–pull testing, the main crack grew by a mixed mode. It is thus apparent that shear deformation affects the fatigue crack growth in pure aluminium. In tests using cyclic torsion, the fatigue crack grew by a shear mode. The micro‐cracks initiated perpendicular and parallel to the main crack's growth direction during the cyclic torsion tests. However, the growth direction of the main crack was not changed by the coalescence of the main crack and the micro‐cracks. Shear mode crack growth tends to occur in aluminium. The crack growth behaviour is related to a material's slip systems. The number of slip planes in aluminium is smaller than that of steel and the friction stress during edge dislocation motion of aluminium is lower than many other materials. Correlation between the crack propagation rate and the stress intensity factor range was almost the same in both push–pull and cyclic torsion with tension in this study.     

Mechanics of mixed mode small fatigue crack growth

An elastic-plastic analysis of a mixed mode crack was conducted under general yielding conditions using a finite element method. Based on the finite element analysis, a formula of the J-integral was developed, and the behavior of the crack opening or sliding displacement was investigated. Crack growth mechanics was discussed to explain mixed mode growth. A model expressed by the J-integral was proposed assuming that the crack growth is determined by the linear summation of relations of pure Mode I and II crack-tip deformation. The crack growth rate obtained using Inconel 718 thin-wall tubular specimens was correlated with the range of ΔJ evaluated from the proposed formula. The crack growth equations in terms of ΔJ for three different biaxial strain ratios were compared with the relations expected from the proposed crack growth model. The difference between the experimental results and the estimation was discussed from the viewpoint of crack closure and the geometry of the surface crack.     

Creep crack growth in an elastic-creeping material Part II: mode I

The quasi-static growth of a crack in an elastic-creeping material under mode I loading is investigated. The creep strain rate of the material is assumed to be governed by a power law involving the stress and creep strain. The major emphasis of this investigation is on elastic-primary creep response. The asymptotic crack tip fields for a quasi-statically extending crack under conditions of plane strain and plane stress are developed. The asymptotic fields are unambiguously determined in terms of the instantaneous crack speed and material parameters and are independent of the prior crack history, specimen geometry, and loading. A plane strain finite element analysis is performed to determine the complete stress and strain fields. These fields are compared with the asymptotic ones to establish the zone of dominance of the crack tip fields. The zone of dominance can be a very small fraction of the size of the creep zone attending the crack up.

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Résumé On étudie la croissance quasi-statique d'une fissure dans un matériau sujet à fluage élastique sous une sollicitation de Mode I. On suppose que la vitesse de déformation en fluage du matériau est régie par une loi parabolique comportant la contrainte et la déformation. L'accent est surtout mis sur la réponse au fluage élastique primaire.On établit les configurations asymptotiques règnant à l'extrémité de la fissure, dans le cas d'une fissure quasi-statique en extension sour état plan de dilatation ou sous état plan de tension. Ces champs sont déterminés sans ambiguïté par la vitesse instantanée de la fissuration et par les paramétres du matériau; ils sont indépendants de l'histoire primitive de la fissure, de la géométrie de l'éprouvette et de la sollicitation. On effectue une analyse par éléments finis en déformations planes pour déterminer complètement les champs de contrainte et de dilatation, que l'on compare aux champs asymptotiques aux fins d'établir la zone de prédominance des champs à l'extrémité de la fissure. Cette zone peut être une fraction très petite de la taille de la zone où s'effectue un fluage au voisinage de l'extrémité de la fissure.

     

Experimental and finite element studies on mode I and mixed mode (I and II) stable crack growth—I. Experimental

Experimental results on mode I and mixed mode stable crack growth under static loadings through an aluminium alloy (D16AT) are presented. The compact tension type of geometry was employed for both the sets of tests. Data pertaining to load-deflection diagrams, crack opening displacements, crack front geometry, etc., are included. There is a greater spurt of crack growth at the initiation stage in a mixed mode than in mode I. The crack opening angle (COA) remained nearly constant during the whole stable growth. There is a substantial tunneling, the extent of which increases as the extension progresses in both mode I and mixed mode. The tunneling reduces as the ratio a₀/W increases. Because of this tunneling, the COD at a point finite distance behind the crack tip and on the specimen surface is much more than expected. At the maximum load the tunneling is 2 to 3.5 mm in the case of mode I. The crack extends initially almost along a straight line at an angle with the initial crack in a mixed mode. The maximum to initiation load ratio varied in the range 1.50 to 1.75 for the whole range of tests.     

Experimental and finite element studies on mode I and mixed mode (I and II) stable crack growth—II. finite element analysis

Finite element studies are presented on both mode I and mixed mode stable crack growth under static loadings through an aluminium (D16AT) alloy. A COD based criterion has been used to predict the load-displacement diagram from initiation to instability. The theoretical predictions are compared with experimental results presented in Part I. Results on computed crack profiles, stress-strain distribution ahead of the crack tip, J integrals, J resistance curves, plastic zones, etc., are included. The study indicates that the load-displacement diagram associated with a mixed mode stable crack growth in a compact tension type of specimen geometry can be predicted reasonably accurately using the criterion of a fixed crack opening displacement at a finite distance behind the crack tip provided the crack is allowed to grow in the direction of initial growth in the finite element analysis. The crack assumes a more blunted profile in a mixed mode than in the mode I at all the stages of stable extension. The distributions of normal stress and strain in the direction perpendicular to the crack extension line, ahead of the current crack tip, have similarities between the mode I and mixed mode, irrespective of loading angle. Both the stress and strain levels increase as the crack extension proceeds. In a mixed mode, the J integral at the onset of crack extension is the lowest compared with the values at the later stages of the extension. Further, the tearing modulus associated with initial kinking is very small; it becomes close to the mode I values at the later stages. The tearing modulus remained approximately constant during the whole mode I stable growth and it had a similar trend subsequent to kinking in a mixed mode. The specific work of crack extension is zero as Δa → 0 and it increases gradually with Δa irrespective of the mode of loading; the actual variation depends on the loading angle. The plastic zone size grows as the stable extension progresses; the growth is approximately the maximum along the crack extension line.     

Face/core debond fatigue crack growth characterization using the sandwich mixed mode bending specimen

Face/core fatigue crack growth in foam-cored sandwich composites is examined using the mixed mode bending (MMB) test method. The mixed mode loading at the debond crack tip is controlled by changing the load application point in the MMB test fixture. Sandwich specimens were manufactured using H45 and H100 PVC foam cores and E-glass/polyester face sheets. All specimens were pre-cracked in order to define a sharp crack front. The static debond fracture toughness for each material configuration was measured at different mode-mixity phase angles. Fatigue tests were performed at 80% of the static critical load, at load ratios of R = 0.1 and 0.2. The crack length was determined during fatigue testing using the analytical compliance expression and verified by visual measurements. Fatigue crack growth results revealed higher crack growth rates for mode I dominated loading. For specimens with H45 core, the crack grew just below the face/core interface on the core side for all mode-mixities, whereas for specimens with H100 core, the crack propagated in the core or in the face laminate depending on the mode-mixity at the debond crack tip.     

A criterion for plane strain,fully plastic,quasi-steady crack growth

Plane strain fracture by hole growth in ordinary-sized parts of low-to-medium strength steels is essentially rigid-plastic, and may be approximated as non-hardening. Quasi-steady crack growth for such materials is predicted for crack-tip fields approximated by a pair of slip lines, such as unequally grooved specimens in tension and deep singly-face-cracked specimens under combined bending and tension. The crack growth increment a is given in terms of material parameters, far-field geometry, and loadings and their increments.For the rigid-plastic, non-hardening approximation, stress and strain increment fields for growing cracks are identical to those for stationary cracks. For fields with a pair of symmetric slip-lines, the flanks of the decohering zone turn out to be rigid, and the decohering zone does not affect the crack-tip opening angle (CTOA), which then depends only on the micromechanisms of hole nucleation, growth and linkage by flow localization or fine cracking. These mechanisms are in turn approximately controlled by the near-field plasticity parameters: the angle of the slip plane _s, and the normal stress and displacement increment across the slip plane _s and u_s. Note the three-parameter characterization of the near-tip fields, in contrast to the one- or two-parameter characterization in elastic or nonlinear elastic fracture mechanics.A sliding off and shear-cracking model for a growing crack, based on a hole growth equation, gives an approximate CTOA in terms of _s, _s, and material parameters. When hole nucleation strain is negligible, the estimated CTOA exhibits an inverse exponential dependence on _s and a higher order parabolic dependence on _s. For a given material, a series of fully plastic crack growth experiments is suggested to determine the approximate material parameters needed to characterize the dependence of CTOA on _s and _s, or from kinematics, of the shear strain behind the slip plane, _f, on _s.     

The plastic zone ahead of a mode II plane strain crack

The problem of a mode II plane strain crack in an elastic perfectly-plastic solid is analysed. It is shown that the elastic singular field for a crack cannot be matched with the near-tip field. Hence, the usual definition of small scale yielding is inappropriate. By matching the stress field in the plastic zone with the elastic dominant field for a blunt crack near the crack line at the elastic-plastic boundary, the elastic-plastic boundary ahead of the crack is determined.

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Résumé On analyse le problème d'une fissure de mode II en état de déformation plane dans un solide élastique parfaitement plastique. On montre que le champ singulier élastique relatif à une fissure ne peut être atteint par le champ régnant au voisinage de l'extrémité de la fissure considérée. Dès lors, la définition habituelle de l'écoulement platique à petite échelle n'est pas adéquate. On détermine la limite élastique-plastique en avant de la fissure en faisant se correspondre le champ de contraintes dans la zone plastique avec le champ principal élastique correspondant à une fissure arrondie située près de la ligne de la fissure.

     

Evaluation of fatigue crack propagation by mode I and mixed mode in 1050 aluminium

The mechanism of mixed‐mode fatigue crack propagation was investigated in pure aluminum. Push‐pull fatigue tests were performed using two types of specimens. One was a round bar specimen having a blind hole, one was a plate specimen having a slit. The slit direction cut in the specimen was perpendicular or inclined 45 degrees relative to the centre of the specimen axis. In both cases, cracks propagated by mode I or by the mixed mode combining mode I and shear mode, depending on the testing conditions. In these cases the crack propagation rate was evaluated with a modified effective stress intensity factor range. Crack propagation retardation was observed in some specimens. However, it was found that the crack propagation rate could also be evaluated by the effective stress intensity factor range independent of the crack propagation mode.     

The condition of fatigue crack growth in mixed mode condition

The condition of the initiation of fatigue crack growth in mixed mode conditions has been investigated by using precracked low carbon steel specimens.It is pointed out that, firstly, the critical condition of crack growth should be defined with regard to the modes of fatigue crack growth, i.e. shear mode and tensile mode. Secondly, it is proposed that the critical condition of fatigue crack growth is given by the local tensile stress and shearing stress at the notch tip determined by stress intensity factors $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{I}}$ and $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{II}}$, and that this criterion is generally applicable to in-plane-loading conditions, i.e. Mode $\text{I}$, Mode $\text{II}$ and Mixed Mode conditions.     

Effect of anisotropic plasticity on mixed mode interface crack growth

Crack growth along an interface between a solid with plastic anisotropy and an elastic substrate is modelled by representing the fracture process in terms of a traction-separation law specified on a crack plane. A phenomenological elastic-viscoplastic material model is applied, using one of two different anisotropic yield criteria to account for the plastic anisotropy. Conditions of small-scale yielding are assumed, and due to the mismatch of elastic properties across the interface the corresponding oscillating stress singularity field is applied as boundary conditions on the outer edge of the region analyzed. Crack growth resistance curves are calculated numerically, and based on these results the dependence of the steady-state fracture toughness on the near-tip mode mixity is determined. Different initial orientations of the principal axes relative to the interface are considered and it is found that the steady-state fracture toughness is quite sensitive to this orientation of the anisotropy.