An Approach in Analyzing Longitudinal Fracture of Inhomogeneous Beams with Using Generalized Viscoplastic Models

Abstract

This paper introduces a generalized viscoplastic model and describes its application in treating the longitudinal fracture of inhomogeneous beam structures. The model is a combination of an arbitrary number of parallel units. Each unit is obtained by two springs and a dashpot. Besides, a frictional slider is placed parallel with one of the springs in each unit of the model in order to treat the plastic strains. The time-dependent constitutive law of the model obtained by considering strains, stresses and equilibrium of the model components is used in deriving solution of the strain energy release rate for the longitudinal crack in the viscoplastic beam.