Title: Simulation of near-tip crack behaviour and its correlation to fatigue crack growth with a modified strip-yield model

Authors: Lei Wang, Yongkang Chen, William Tiu, Yigeng Xu

Addresses: School of Aerospace, Automotive and Design Engineering, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AB, UK. ' School of Aerospace, Automotive and Design Engineering, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AB, UK. ' School of Aerospace, Automotive and Design Engineering, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AB, UK. ' School of Aerospace, Automotive and Design Engineering, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AB, UK

Abstract: A modified strip-yield model has been developed to simulate the plasticity-induced crack closure under the constant amplitude (CA) and a single overload loading conditions. The paper focuses on the simulation of the near tip crack profiles and stress distributions during the fatigue process. Detailed information on near-tip stress and displacement fields at the maximum load (P_max), the minimum load (P_min), and the crack opening load (P_op) of a fatigue load cycle have been presented. The correlation of the crack closure to the near-tip material fatigue damage has been investigated and used to rationalise the crack growth behaviour under the CA and a single overload loading conditions.

Keywords: plasticity-induced crack closure; numerical modelling; simulation; near-tip crack behaviour; fatigue crack growth; strip-yield model; stress distribution; fatigue damage; single overload loading; constant amplitude.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2008.021777

International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2008 Vol.5 No.1, pp.77 - 91

Published online: 03 Dec 2008 *

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