A major part of fracture mechanics is concerned with studying the initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks. This typically requires constant monitoring of crack growth during fatigue cycles which necessitates automation of the whole process. If the rate of crack growth can be determined the experimenter can vary externally controlled parameters such as load level, load cycle frequency and s...

Mode I, quasi-static, steady state crack growth is analyzed for rate dependent materials under plane strain conditions in small scale yielding. The solid is characterized by an elastic-viscoplastic constitutive law and the plane ahead of the crack tip is embedded with a rate dependent fracture process zone. The macroscopic work of fracture of the material is computed as a function of the crack ...

The fatigue growth of a fiber reinforced composite laminate was characterized under thermal cycling using a combined experimental and computational investigation. Twenty-four ply composite laminates (1⁄20 12=90 12 ) are fabricated with a pre-existing delamination, and subjected to thermal cycling in an environmental chamber. The large mismatch in the coefficients of thermal expansion is used to...

Al~tract--The mechanics of fracture of a stably extending interface crack in polymeric adhesive bonds undergoing very large shear deformation is studied using a rate-del~ndent finite element analysis. Plane-strain and J2 plasticity conditions are considered. Based on recent experimental observations, it is assumed that the local engineering shear strain at a certain distance (i.e. for the polym...

Fatigue crack growth (FCG) rates have previously been reported in forged Ti6Al-4V aero-engine disk material under the conjoint action of LCF and HCF cycles at room temperature. It is found that systematic increases in LCF overload, applied prior to the commencement of the HCF cycles, reduce the contribution of the HCF cycles to crack growth rates. The application of overload also enhances the s...

Continuum approaches to fracture regard crack initiation and growth as the ultimate consequences of a gradual, local loss of material integrity. The material models which are traditionally used to describe the degradation process, however, may predict premature crack initiation and instantaneous, perfectly brittle crack growth. This nonphysical response is caused by localisation instabilities d...

Fatigue-crack-growth tests were conducted on compact, C(T), specimens made of D16Cz (clad) aluminum alloy under constant-amplitude loading, a single spike overload, and simulated aircraft spectrum loading. Constant-amplitude tests were conducted to generate crack-growth-rate data from threshold to near fracture over a wide range of stress ratios (R = Pmin/Pmax = 0.1–0.75) using the new compress...

The evaluation of energy release rate and centre Crack Opening Displacement (COD) for circumferential Through-Wall Cracked (TWC) pipes is an important issue in the assessment of critical crack length for unstable fracture. The ability to predict crack growth continues to be an important component of research for several structural materials. Crack growth predictions can aid the understanding of...

In this study, the crack growth behavior in a filled elastomer, containing hard particles embedded in a rubbery matrix, was investigated. The specimen was tested at a constant strain rate of 0.067 cm/cm/min at room temperature. Two initial crack lengths, 2.54 mm and 12.7 mm, were considered. A hybrid experimental-numerical method was used to calculate the Jintegral value. They also revealed tha...

This research comprises a study of the effect of heat treatment on fatigue behavior of (A193-51T-B7) alloy steel. Two heat treatment processes were conducted, namely, annealing and quenching followed by tempering at 200C. All fatigue tests were carried out using a rotary bending machine with constant stress ratio, R=-1. The eddy current probe was used to measure the crack length propagation. Fr...