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At least 973 records · Page 54

Fatigue-Crack-Growth Structural Analysis

Elastic and plastic deformations calculated under variety of loading conditions. Prediction of fatigue-crack-growth lives made with FatigueCrack-Growth Structural Analysis (FASTRAN) computer program. As cyclic loads are applied to initial crack configuration, FASTRAN predicts crack length and other parameters until complete break occurs. Loads are tensile or compressive and of variable or constant amplitude. FASTRAN incorporates linear-elastic fracture mechanics with modifications of load-interaction effects caused by crack closure. FASTRAN considered research tool, because of lengthy calculation times. FASTRAN written in FORTRAN IV for batch execution.

Newman, J. C., Jr.↗

Fatigue crack propagation of nickel-base superalloys at 650 deg C

The 650 C fatigue crack propagation behavior of two nickel-base superalloys, Rene 95 and Waspaloy, is studied with particular emphasis placed on understanding the roles of creep, environment, and two key grain boundary alloying additions, boron and zirconium. Comparison of air and vacuum data shows the air environment to be detrimental over a wide range of frequencies for both alloys. More in-depth analysis on Rene 95 shows at lower frequencies, such as 0.02 Hz, failure in air occurs by intergranular, environmentally-assisted creep crack growth, while at higher frequencies, up to 5.0 Hz, environmental interactions are still evident but creep effects are minimized. The effect of B and Zr in Waspaloy is found to be important where environmental and/or creep interactions are presented. In those instances, removal of B and Zr dramatically increases crack growth and it is therefore plausible that effective dilution of these elements may explain a previously observed trend in which crack growth rates increase with decreasing grain size.

Gayda, J.↗

Grain boundary oxidation and oxidation accelerated fatigue crack nucleation and propagation

Fatigue life at elevated temperatures is often shortened by oxidation. Grain boundary oxidation penetrates deeper than the surface oxidation. Therefore, grain boundary oxide penetration could be the primary cause of accelerated fatigue crack nucleation and propagation, and the shortened fatigue life at elevated temperatures. Grain boundary oxidation kinetics was studied and its statistical scatter was analyzed by the Weibull's distribution function. The effects of grain boundary oxidation on shortened fatigue life was analyzed and discussed. A model of intermittent microruptures of the grain boundary oxide was proposed for the fatigue crack growth in the low frequency region. The proposed model is consistent with the observations that fatigue crack growth rate in the low frequency region with hold time at K sub max is inversely proportional to cyclic frequency and that crack growth is intergranular.

Liu, H. W.↗

The crack problem in a reinforced cylindrical shell

In this paper a partially reinforced cylinder containing an axial through crack is considered. The reinforcement is assumed to be fully bonded to the main cylinder. The composite cylinder is thus modelled by a nonhomogeneous shell having a step change in the elastic properties at the z=0 plane, z being the axial coordinate. Using a Reissner type transverse shear theory the problem is reduced to a pair of singular integral equations. In the special case of a crack tip touching the bimaterial interface it is shown that the dominant parts of the kernels of the integral equations associated with both membrane loading and bending of the shell reduce to the generalized Cauchy kernel obtained for the corresponding plane stress case. The integral equations are solved and the stress intensity factors are given for various crack and shell dimensions. A bonded fiberglass reinforcement which may serve as a crack arrestor is used as an example.

Yahsi, O. S.↗

The crack problem in a reinforced cylindrical shell

A partially reinforced cylinder containing an axial through crack is considered. The reinforcement is assumed to be fully bonded to the main cylinder. The composite cylinder is thus modelled by a nonhomogeneous shell having a step change in the elastic properties at the z = 0 plane, z being the axial coordinate. Using a Reissner type transverse shear theory the problem is reduced to a pair of singular integral equations. In the special case of a crack tip touching the bimaterial interface it is shown that the dominant parts of the kernels of the integral equations associated with both membrane loading and bending of the shell reduce to the generalized Cauchy kernel obtained for the corresponding plane stress case. The integral equations are solved and the stress intensity factors are given for various crack and shell dimensions. A bonded fiberglass reinforcement which may serve as a crack arrestor is used as an example.

Yahsi, O. S.↗

J-integral estimates for cracks in infinite bodies

An analysis and discussion is presented of existing estimates of the J-integral for cracks in infinite bodies. Equations are presented which provide convenient estimates for Ramberg-Osgood type elastoplastic materials containing cracks and subjected to multiaxial loading. The relationship between J and the strain normal to the crack is noted to be only weakly dependent on state of stress. But the relationship between J and the stress normal to the crack is strongly dependent on state of stress. A plastic zone correction term often employed is found to be arbitrary, and its magnitude is seldom significant.

Dowling, N. E.↗

A normal stress criterion for crack extension direction in orthotropic composite materials

A criterion for predicting the direction of crack extension in orthotropic composite materials is presented. The criterion is based upon the normal stress and the anisotropic tensile strength on arbitrary planes about the tip of a crack. Results are obtained, via finite element solutions, for: (1) isotropic mixed mode fracture, (2) cracks in unidirectional off-axis slotted composite tensile coupons and (3) cracks in cross plied laminates. Comparisons are made with other theories and experimental results.

Buczek, M. B.↗

The crack problem for bonded nonhomogeneous materials under antiplane shear loading

The singular nature of the crack tip stress field in a nonhomogeneous medium having a shear modulus with a discontinuous derivative was investigated. The problem is considered for the simplest possible loading and geometry, namely the antiplane shear loading of two bonded half spaces in which the crack is perpendicular to the interface. It is shown that the square-root singularity of the crack tip stress field is unaffected by the discontinuity in the derivative of the shear modulus. The problem is solved for a finite crack and extensive results are given for the stress intensity factors.

Erdogan, F.↗

Wide-range weight functions for the strip with a single edge crack

A closed form expression for the weight function for a strip with a single edge crack is presented. The expression is valid for relative crack lengths from zero to unity. It is based on the assumption that the shape of an opened edge crack can be approximated by a conic section. The results agree well with published values for weight functions, stress intensity factors, and crack mouth opening displacements.

Orange, T. W.↗

Analysis of an externally radially crack ring segment subject to three-point radial loading

The boundary collocation method was used to generate Mode I stress intensity and crack mouth opening displacement coefficients for externally radially (through-the-thickness) cracked ring segments subjected to three-point radial loading. Numerical results were obtained for ring segment outer-to-inner radius ratios (Ro/Ri) ranging from 1.10 to 2.50 and crack length to segment width ratios (a/W) ranging from 0.1 to 0.8. Stress intensity and crack mouth displacement coefficients were found to depend on the ratios Ro/Ri and a/W as well as the included angle between the directions of the reaction forces.

Gross, B.↗

Three-dimensional hybrid-stress finite element analysis of composite laminates with cracks and cutouts

A three-dimensional hybrid-stress finite element analysis of composite laminates containing cutouts and cracks is presented. Fully three-dimensional, hexahedral isoparametric elements of the hybrid-stress model are formulated on the basis of the Hellinger-Reissner variational principle. Traction-free edges, cutouts, and crack surfaces are modeled by imposition of exact traction boundary conditions along element surfaces. Special boundary and surface elements are constructed by introducing proper constraints on assumed stress functions. The Lagrangian multiplier technique is used to enforce ply-interface continuity conditions in hybrid bimaterial composite elements for modeling the interface region in a composite laminate. Two examples are given to illustrate the capability of the present method of approach: (1) the well-known delamination problem in an angle-ply laminate, and (2) the important problem of a composite laminate containing a circular hole. Results are presented in detail for each case. Implications of interlaminar and intralaminar crack initiation, growth and fracture in composites containing cracks and cutouts are discussed.

Wang, S. S.↗

The crack layer approach to toughness characterization in steel

In a study of the laws of crack propagation and toughness characterization, it is feasible to employ two alternative approaches, including the fracture mechanics approach and the material science approach. The crack layer (CL) theory discussed by Khandogin and Chudnovsky (1978) and Chudnovsky (1980) considers the crack together with the surrounding defects as one system which has several degrees of freedom. It is pointed out that the CL theory defines the relationship between the parameters of fracture mechanics and the characteristics of microstructural changes which are the subject of material science. Experiments are described, taking into account a toughness characterization test and microscopic studies. Attention is given to a phenomenological study of toughness characterization, the morphology of crack layer, and the evaluation of energy stored in the dislocation network.

Bessendorff, M.↗

Growth behavior of surface cracks in the circumferential plane of solid and hollow cylinders

Experiments were conducted to study the growth behavior of surface fatigue cracks in the circumferential plane of solid and hollow cylinders. In the solid cylinders, the fatigue cracks were found to have a circular arc crack front with specific upper and lower limits to the arc radius. In the hollow cylinders, the fatigue cracks were found to agree accurately with the shape of a transformed semiellipse. A modification to the usual nondimensionalization expression used for surface flaws in flat plates was found to give correct trends for the hollow cylinder problem.

Forman, R. G.↗

Thermally induced transverse cracking in graphite-epoxy cross-ply laminates

Thermally induced transverse cracking in T300/5208 graphite-epoxy cross-ply laminates was investigated experimentally and theoretically. The six laminate configurations studied were: 0/90(3)s, 0(2)/90(2)s, 0(3)/90s, 90/0(3)s, 90(2)/0(2)s, and 90(3)/0s. The thermal load required to initiate transverse cracking was determined experimentally and compared to a theoretical prediction. Experimental results for the accumulation of transverse cracks under cyclic thermal loading between - 250 and 250 F for up to 500 thermal cycles are presented. The calculated in situ transverse-lamina strength was determined to be at least 1.9 times the unidirectional-lamina transverse tensile strength. All laminate configurations exhibited an increase in crack density with increasing thermal cycles.

Adams, D. S.↗

Elevated temperature crack growth

Critical gas turbine engine hot section components such as blades, vanes, and combustor liners tend to develop minute cracks during early stages of operations. The ability of currently available path-independent (P-I) integrals to correlate fatigue crack propagation under conditions that simulate the turbojet engine combustor liner environment was determined. To date, an appropriate specimen design and a crack displacement measurement method were determined. Alloy 718 was selected as the analog material based on its ability to simulate high temperature behavior at lower temperatures in order to facilitate experimental measurements. Available P-I integrals were reviewed and the best approaches are being programmed into a finite element post processor for eventual comparison with experimental data. The experimental data will include cyclic crack growth tests under thermomechanical conditions, and, additionally, thermal gradients.

Kim, K. S.↗

Grain boundary oxidation and fatigue crack growth at elevated temperatures

Fatigue crack growth rate at elevated temperatures can be accelerated by grain boundary oxidation. Grain boundary oxidation kinetics and the statistical distribution of grain boundary oxide penetration depth were studied. At a constant delta K-level and at a constant test temperature, fatigue crack growth rate, da/dN, is a function of cyclic frequency, nu. A fatigue crack growth model of intermittent micro-ruptures of grain boundary oxide is constructed. The model is consistent with the experimental observations that, in the low frequency region, da/dN is inversely proportional to nu, and fatigue crack growth is intergranular.

Liu, H. W.↗

An analytical and experimental study of crack extension in center-notched composites

The normal stress ratio theory for crack extension in anisotropic materials is studied analytically and experimentally. The theory is applied within a microscopic-level analysis of a single center notch of arbitrary orientation in a unidirectional composite material. The bulk of the analytical work of this study applies an elasticity solution for an infinite plate with a center line to obtain critical stress and crack growth direction predictions. An elasticity solution for an infinite plate with a center elliptical flaw is also used to obtain qualitative predictions of the location of crack initiation on the border of a rounded notch tip. The analytical portion of the study includes the formulation of a new crack growth theory that includes local shear stress. Normal stress ratio theory predictions are obtained for notched unidirectional tensile coupons and unidirectional Iosipescu shear specimens. These predictions are subsequently compared to experimental results.

Beuth, Jack L., Jr.↗

Observations of fatigue crack growth rate and closure behavior in 7475-T731 aluminum under variable amplitude loading

Simultaneous measures of fatigue crack propagation rate and crack closure were taken from 7475-T731 aluminum alloy center cracked tensile specimens under variable amplitude loading conditions. Results indicate the presence of load interaction in a variety of repeated variable amplitude loading blocks. Load interaction results in retardation of the propagation rate for most loading blocks examined in the study. Closure did not explain observed delay behavior associated with high stress ratio and single peak overloads. Primary influences on the crack opening stress intensity level include the maximum stress intensity of the repeated loading block, the minimum stress intensity of the block, and the number of fatigue cycles between overloads of the block.

Turner, Charles C.↗