Modeling of Nonlinear Crack Growth in Steel and Aluminum Alloys by the Element Free Galerkin Method

In this study, the modelling and simulation of the nonlinear fatigue crack growth phenomenon in steel and aluminium alloys has been carried out by employing the element free Galerkin method. The primary variable is approximated by the moving least square shape functions. For the consideration of the effect of various discontinuities present in the domain, appropriate enrichment functions have been added to the standard EFGM approximation. In order to keep track of the various discontinuities, the standard level set method is used. The present study includes the material and geometric nonlinearities in the mathematical formulations. The geometric nonlinearity has been modelled by employing the updated Lagrangian approach. The isotropic hardening has been used with the Ramberg-Osgood model to obtain the elasto-plastic behaviour of the material. Finally, several numerical problems have been solved by the element free Galerkin method to investigate fatigue crack growth in steel and aluminium alloys. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.