Papers by Keyword: Crack Deflection

Abstract: Hybrid material systems are designed by the specific combination of different materials. As a result, expanded property profiles can be achieved, which would not be possible with monolithic material solutions. For lightweight, high strength and high rigidity, complex shaped structural components, which are used in the automotive industry and in aerospace, hybrid material systems offer an outstanding potential. A comprehensive understanding regarding the interaction of the individual components of the hybrid material is of great importance for a more efficient design of future structures. In this work, existing hybrid solutions for industrial applications and those, which are subject of current research, are analyzed and categorized first. Intrinsic and extrinsic material combinations are considered at different levels, ranging from hybrid laminates on shell level to complex hybrid structures on component level. Based on the situation analysis, different hybrid solutions are evaluated and compared considering the requirements of the automotive industry. Furthermore, the associated physical mechanisms which are responsible for the respective property profile are considered and explained systematically. The long-term objective of the work is to establish a methodology to derive the necessary physical mechanisms and, based on that, to derive optimal hybrid solutions for desired property profiles.

Abstract: Fatigue crack propagation behaviors in a duplex stainless steel have been studied using an in-situ SEM/EBSD fatigue test and a conventional da/dN test. Crack propagation behaviors in grain, effect of Schmid factor, propagation cross the grain or phase boundaries have been discussed. Crack propagation occurs mainly in the grains with a high Schmid factor, but the crack can also propagate in the grains with very small Schmid factor. Crack deflection occurs mainly at the phase boundaries, but crack branching occurs mainly in the grains due to the dislocation slip. In-situ SEM/EBSD fatigue test confirms that crack propagation deflection can lead to a decrease in crack propagation rate. Formation of crack branches can significantly reduce the crack propagation rate, which can cause crack growth retardation in the main crack path in the worst case. The crack branches formed are usually not ideal. They can propagate almost transversely to the main crack direction with a mode II stress intensity factor, SIF, and a rate that is much higher than that of the main crack.

Abstract: Experiments have been conducted to investigate the crack growth characteristics of 7050-T7451 aluminium plate in L-S orientation. Two loading conditions are selected, i.e. constant amplitude and constant stress intensity factor range (ΔK). The effects of ΔK-levels and stress ratios (R) on crack splitting are studied. Test data shows that crack splitting could result in the reverse of crack growth rate trend with the increasing R ratio at high ΔK-level. The appearance of crack splitting depends on both ΔK and R.

Abstract: Crack propagation behaviors at a mortar-aggregate interface in concrete under dynamic tensile loading conditions are investigated numerically. It is found, for a certain interfacial strength and aggregate size, that the crack can penetrate through the interface under an external load with its loading-rate higher than a threshold value. Moreover, for the crack penetration, the smaller the radius of an aggregate, the higher the loading-rate is needed. Therefore, concrete failure energy increase considerably with the loading-rate (or the strain-rate). Such a strain-rate effect on the strength of concrete is in agreement with previous experimental results.

Abstract: In a high-purity 8Y-CSZ, the doping of 0.15 - 5 mass% pure silica introduces a glass phase dispersing uniformly along grain-boundary facets and at multiple junctions. For materials with grain sizes of 0.75 - 2.4 m, the dispersion of the glass phase decreases the elastic modulus, the Vickers hardness and the elastic modulus-to-hardness ratio, whereas it affects little in the fracture toughness measured by a Vickers-indentation method and a single-crack-precracked-beam method. Inspection of crack propagation paths shows that the glass phase with sizes smaller than those of the matrix grains is not a site for easy crack-propagation, but provides a site for a crack-deflection mechanism.

Abstract: High fatigue threshold values of duplex ferritic-martensitic steels are interpreted by using a unified model of roughness- and plasticity induced crack closure. Complex metallographical and fractographical analysis was performed in order to obtain characteristics of tortuous crack paths produced by crack deflection and branching mainly at austenite/ferrite interfaces. Calculated values of effective thresholds are in a good agreement with experimental data. The total level of extrinsic toughening (closure + shielding) induced by the duplex microstructure was determined to be as much as 70% of measured fatigue threshold values. This is the main reason for the high resistance to propagation of long fatigue cracks in the near-threshold region.

Abstract: Cyclic plasticity in the crack tip region is at the origin of various history effects in fatigue. For instance, fatigue crack growth in mode I is delayed after the application of an overload because of the existence of compressive residual stresses in the overload’s plastic zone. Moreover, if the overload’s ratio is large enough, the crack may grow under mixed mode condition until it has gone round the overload’s plastic zone. Thus, crack tip plasticity modifies both the kinetics and the crack’s plane. Therefore modeling the growth of a fatigue crack under complex loading conditions requires considering the effects of crack tip plasticity. Finite element analyses are useful for analyzing crack tip plasticity under various loading conditions. However, the simulation of mixed mode fatigue crack growth by elastic-plastic finite element computations leads to huge computation costs, in particular if the crack doesn’t remain planer. Therefore, in this paper, the finite element method is employed only to build a global constitutive model for crack tip plasticity under mixed mode loading conditions. Then this model can be employed, independently of any FE computation, in a mixed mode fatigue crack growth criterion including memory effects inherited from crack tip plasticity. This model is developed within the framework of the thermodynamics of dissipative processes and includes internal variables that allow modeling the effect of internal stresses and to account for memory effects. The model was developed initially for pure mode I conditions. It was identified and validated for a 0.48%C carbon steel. It was shown that the model allows modeling fatigue crack growth under various variable amplitude loading conditions [1]. The present paper aims at showing that a similar approach can be applied for mixed mode loading conditions so as to model, finally, mixed mode fatigue crack growth.

Abstract: Successive observation of transgranular small fatigue crack growth behavior of alpha-brass was performed by means of an atomic force microscope (AFM) equipped with small in-plane bending fatigue testing machine. In the low growth rate region after crack initiation, the fatigue crack grew in a zig-zag manner as a result of successive crack branching and deflection. The fatigue crack deflection behavior was investigated by the crystallographic orientation analysis based on the Electron Back Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) technique. The slip factor considering the slip system and singular stress field at the crack tip was introduced in order to evaluate the easiness of slip deformation instead of Schmid factor. The direction of crack deflection was found to be explained well by the slip factor and the geometric relative location between the preferential slip plane and crack front.

Abstract: New laminate design for improved toughness in hexacelsian-alumina composite is introduced. The composite is based on crack deflection in a weak interphase in the alumina matrix and hexacelsian interphase. The strength and toughness of the laminated composite were studied both qualitatively by electronic microscopy and measuring flexure strength. The metastable hexacelsian interphases had partially microcracks to provide crack deflection in the composite, and the crack deflection noticeably proceeded along the meta-stable hexacelsian interphase. Load-deflection curve for the laminate showed improved work of fracture of 2.23 kJ/m2.

Abstract: Successive observation of transgranular small fatigue crack growth behavior of alpha-brass was performed by means of an atomic force microscope (AFM) equipped with small in-plane bending fatigue testing machine. The fatigue crack deflection behavior, which was observed frequently in the low growth rate region, was investigated by the crystallographic orientation analysis based on the Electron Back Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) technique. The slip factor considering the slip system and singular stress field at the crack tip was introduced in order to evaluate the easiness of slip deformation instead of Schmid factor. The direction of crack deflection was found to be explained well by the slip factor and the geometric relative location between the preferential slip plane and crack front.