Crack front curvature: Influence and effects on the crack tip fields in bi-dimensional specimens

Crack front curvature is evidence in most experimental crack advance test. When classical linear elastic fracture mechanic theory deals with bi-dimensional crack configurations, it ignores the three-dimensional effects of crack propagation. Issues as the influence of the specimen thickness and the crack front curvature are not considered. Previous numerical studies have shed light on out-of-plane plastic zone development or stress state. Nevertheless, these numerical studies are based on the assumption that the crack front is ideally straight; despite it is well known that the crack front has some kind of curvature. In the present work, a CT aluminium specimen has been modelled three-dimensionally and several calculations have been made considering a huge combination of different single load levels, specimen thicknesses and crack front curvatures. Due to the abrupt transition from plane strain to plane stress, an ultrafine mesh along the thickness has been applied. The analysis of the evolution of the plastic zone and the stress state along the thickness provides information about the combined influence of these parameters on fracture mechanics. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.