Experimental and numerical analysis of crack growth in stiffened panels

The work deals with an experimental and numerical assessment of crack growth in a welded stiffened panel subjected to a cyclic load of a sine shape. A stiffened panel with one central stiffener is manufactured for testing cracks simultaneously propagating in the plate and web. The unified fatigue growth rate equation proposed by Cui et al.2011is employed in the analysis of the crack growth. The stress range intensity factor is calculated by employing the finite element method using finite singularity elements. The crack growth rate for both plate and web of the stiffened panel is statistically analysed based on the testing results using the one-sided tolerance method. It has been shown that the crack growth rate in the plate is faster than the one in the web of the stiffened panel and a high correlation in the crack propagation in the plate and stiffener exist.

Automated summary

The work investigates the crack growth in a welded stiffened panel under cyclic loading, finding that the crack grows faster in the plate than in the web, with a high correlation in crack propagation between the plate and stiffener.