1

Evolution of the design philosophy

1950

Irwin: G definition

LINEAR ELASTIC FRACTURE

MECHANICS
1960

Rice: J integral definiton

ELASTO-PLASTIC FRACTURE
MECHANICS
Paris: fatigue crack propagation
DAMAGE TOLERANT APPROACH

Linear-elastic fracture mechanics limit validity

Linear-elastic fracture mechanics limit validity

Plastic zone where

the stress values are
not known

The plastic zone must be lower than the K-dominant zone

4
Y

K
B , a , b a , h 2 ,5

sn

NO

Stress plane

h
b

Plane strain
MFLE

4 K
a, b a, h
sn

YES

P/Pcol<0,8

SI
aeff - Keff

Kc>KIc
Stable crack
growth

NO

MFLE

KIc

NO
MFEP

JIc

Toughness
Material

Toughness
KIc[MPa m ]

Yielding
stress
sn [MPa]

41

Failure
stress
r [Mpa]

Failure strain
f [%]

Reduction
area
Z [%]

Steels
AISI 1144

66

540

840

ASTM A470-8

60

620

780

17

45

ASTM A517-F

187

760

830

20

66

30CrMo2
AISI 4130

110

1090

1150

14

49

ASTM A538-C

123

1310

1350

12

54

ASTM A538
fuso sotto vuoto

176

1290

1345

15

66

Aluminium alloys
2014-T651

24

415

485

13

2024-T351

34

325

470

20

2219-T37.

41

315

395

11

6061-T651

34

275

310

12

7075-T651

29

505

570

11

Toughness
Material

KIc
[MPa m ]

Polymers

Material

42

KIc
[MPa
m
]

Ceramics

ABS

3,0

Soda-lime glass

0,76

Acrylic

1,8

Magnesia, MgO

2,9

Epoxy

0,6

Alumina Al2O3

4,0

PC

2,2

Al2O3, 15% ZrO2

10,0

PVC

2,4

Silicon carbide SiC

3,7

PVC rubber mod.

3,35

Silicon nitride Si3Ni4

5,6

44

K2
G=
E'
where:

E'=E

E
E' =
(1 2 )

plane stress
plane strain

If there are all the three loading modes:

2
K I2 K II2 K III
G=
+
+
2
E'
E'

is the tangential elasticity coefficient.

K=KIc

K Ic2
R=
E'

Elasto plastic fracture mechanics

Linear-elastic

Non linear-elastic

G versus stresses
U=Uelement without crack+Ucrack
If the plate is loaded by a uniform stress :

U elemento senza cricca =

2
2E

LBW

Griffith showed that the strain energy due to the crack is proportional to
the energy of a circle (of radius a) corresponding value before the crack
initiation:

U cricca =

2
E

dU 2 2 a
=
B da
BE

2 2 B
1 2
LW +
a )
U= (
B 2E
E

Ba 2

G=

2 2 a
E

Elasto plastic fracture mechanics

G=

2 2 a
E

When the behaviour is not linear elastic:

E
G=2a

If the plastic zone is large

Ha=JR

J=JR

t = e + p

t = +
E K

2=H

Elasto plastic fracture mechanics

t = +
E K
elastic

H 2 a H m +1a
+
= JR
m
E
K

dU 2 2 a
=
da
E

Jel +

plastic

Jp

= JR

14

Elasto plastic fracture mechanics

A plate with a central, trough crack: a=50mm, constructed with the material:
E=210.000MPa
K=400MPa
m=7
H=6
The plate is loaded by an increasing load P. The plate fails when =210MPa is
applied.
40 +693=733N/mm
JR=733N/mm

Jel<<Jp

K mJR

fr =
Ha

m +1

15

Example
A plate with a central, trough crack, 2a, loaded by a load P fails when
=fr=350MPa. Crack propagation or plastic collapse?
K=470MPa
E=210.000MPa
m=16,2
sn=475MPa
H=2=8,72
2a=100mm
W=800mm

coll =

Pcoll sn (W 2a )B 475(800 100)

=
=
= 415 MPa
A
WB
800

J R = J el + J pl =

H 2fr a
E

= 254.3 + 1286.7 = 1540

H mfr+1 a

N
mm

Km

fr < coll

8.72 350 2 50 8.72 35017.2 50

=
+
=
16.2
210000
470

16

J Integral
J definition as integral:

ui
J = (Wdy Ti
ds)
x

ij stress tensor
ij strain tensor
ij

W = ij d ij Energy strain
0

Ti stress vector normal to the

contour
Ti=ijnj
nj normal vector components
ui displacement vector components
ds displacement contour

17

J Integral
Rice showed that J:
9is independent from integration contour;
9is equivalent to J defined by the energetic approach

18

J definition
loading control :
1 dU
J=

B da P

P
P

1
1
J = dP = dP
B a 0
P B 0 a P

displacement control :
1 dU
J =

B da

1
1 P
J = Pd = d
B a 0
B 0 a

23

Crack faces opening measurement

28

Stable growth

29

J as stress intensity factor

=
+
0 0
0

J
ij = k1
r

m +1

J
ij = k 2
r

m +1

=sn

r 0

ij
The singoXlarity is different
J charaterizes the non linear
singularity (HRR)

J as stress intensity factor

30

Stress near the crack tip

behaviour