CONTOUR INTEGRAL EVALUATION OF CENTRE CRACKED RECTANGULAR PANEL UNDER REMOTE TENSILE STRESS AND THERMAL STRESS: PARAMETRIC STUDY

Mahanthesha.T., Mohammed Imran, Mohamed Haneef

Abstract: The Linear Elastic Facture Mechanics (LEFM) approach applies to fracture of materials which are naturally elastic up to failure: glass, ceramics, plastics, and high strength metals with limited amount of ductility before getting fracture. LEFM cannot be prolonged in situations having higher plastic deformation before fracture. Hence LEFM is abandoned & therefore Elastic Plastic Fracture Mechanics (EPFM) is embraced. Specifically the non-linear energy release rate designated as J is analyst’s choice and J evaluation is the subject of the study. The J-line integral properties with thermal stress application is determined. Similarly a superposition technique is offered for problems having thermal stress fracture that also includes crack surface tractions. In this technique, J-integral path should have crack surface segments. Finite element modeling well-defined in this technique is the examiner’s decision of materials models (constitutive law and failure criteria), constraint equations, finite elements, analysis procedures, meshes, governing matrix equations and methods for solving, specific pre and post-processing choices presented in a selected commercial Finite Element Analysis program (ABAQUS software) for the evaluation of J for a rectangular panel with a meridional crack. The Finite Element Model developed using ABAQUS and evaluation using J-integral method in ABAQUS is validated using a benchmark namely center cracked panel under remote tensile stress & thermal stress for which target solutions are available in the NAFEMS document. Extensive numerical results of a parametric study are presented to show the effect of crack length & material models.The approach is authenticated and validated utilizing benchmarks, a conventional typically investigated problems by means of well-known target results.

Keywords: Finite Element Analysis, Ductile Fracture, Elastic Plastic Fracture Mechanics, ABAQUS, Thermal Stress, Nonlinear Energy Release Rate (J); Material Model, Crack Analysis.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2016.0505016