Crack growth prediction and non-linear analysis for an elasto-plastic solid

In this paper, a variable radius for the plastic zone is introduced and a maximum principal stress criterion is proposed for the prediction of crack initiation and growth. It is assumed that the direction of crack initiation coincides with the direction of the maximum principal stress. The von Mises yield criterion is applied to define the plastic zone, instead of assuming a plastic zone with a constant distance r from the crack tip. An improvement is made to this fracture criterion, and the criterion is extended to study the crack growth characteristics of mixed mode cracks. Based on the concept of frictional stress intensity factor, k(f), the rate of fatigue crack propagation, db/dN, is postulated to be a function of the effective stress intensity factor range, Delta k(eff). Subsequently, this concept is applied to predict crack growth due to fatigue loads. The proposed crack growth model is discussed by comparing the experimental results with those obtained using the maximum principal stress criterion. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.