Three-dimensional fatigue crack propagation simulation using extended finite element methods for steel grades S355 and S690 considering mean stress effects

The assessment of fatigue crack propagation steel structures is essential and important especially to improve the application high strength in construction. load ratio R, reflecting mean stress effects, will be changed with extension complicated geometry. In this paper, Walker equation employed fit rate grades S355 S690 based on experimental data literature incorporate effects. material parameters 95%, 97.7%, 99% guarantee were obtained by a stochastic analysis using Monte Carlo method. life was firstly predicted analytical method used as baseline for numerical simulation. A user-defined subroutine developed phantom nodes-based extended finite element (PN-XFEM) Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) consider proposed three-dimensional simulation successfully validated both grades, S690.