Theoretical crack path prediction

• Published in: Fatigue & fracture of engineering materials & structures Vol. 28; no. 1-2; pp. 3 - 12
• Main Authors: RICHARD, H. A., FULLAND, M., SANDER, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: PO Box 1354, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2XG, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.01.2005; Blackwell Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; crack path; deflection angle; Exact sciences and technology; fracture and crack growth criteria; Fractures; Mechanical properties and methods of testing. Rheology. Fracture mechanics. Tribology; Metals. Metallurgy; mixed-mode loading; crack path; fracture and crack growth criteria; Prediction; Rupture; Mechanical properties; Deformation mode; mixed-mode loading; deflection angle; Crack propagation
• ISSN: 8756-758X; 1460-2695
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-2695.2004.00855.x

ABSTRACT In many practical cases, the crack growth leads to abrupt failure of components and structures. For reasons of a reliable quantification of the endangerment due to sudden fracture of a component, therefore, it is of enormous importance to know the threshold values, the crack paths and the growth rates for the fatigue crack growth as well as the limiting values for the beginning of unstable crack growth (fracture toughness). This contribution deals with the complex problem of a—however initiated—crack, that is subjected to a mixed‐mode loading. It will present the hypotheses and concepts, which describe the superposition of Mode I and Mode II (plane mixed mode) as well as the superposition of all three modes (Mode I, II and III) for spatial loading conditions. Those concepts admit a quantitative appraisal of such crack situations and a characterization of possible crack paths.