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

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 (Pmax), the minimum load (Pmin), and the crack opening load (Pop) 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.