Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Intact and Cracked Steel Plates under tensile loading using Non-local Method

Abstract

This study examines intact and cracked steel plates under uniform tensile loading, using local and non-local methods, and predicts crack growth with the energy released rate criterion. The impact of initial crack orientation, crack development, crack branching, the number of material points, and the horizon size on the ultimate strength of the steel plates are analyzed. Non-local relationships are established and applied to the equation of motion, with the principle of virtual work employed to solve the associated Lagrange equation. The study determines that the accuracy of the model improves with a horizon function length closer to 0.4 mm, and increasing the number of material points from 50 to 250 enables a more accurate evaluation of crack branching. The lowest and highest load capacities are related to plates with double and single-edge cracks, respectively. The study also shows that as the crack angle increases, the plate's load-carrying capacity under tensile loading increases. The effect of loading speed rate on the intensification of crack branching is investigated, and the results of the non-local method are compared with numerical approaches and experimental tests, showing a maximum difference of 2.13%. The robustness of the developed non-local method for predicting crack growth path, micro-cracks, and branching of cracks is demonstrated thoroughly in comparison with other numerical approaches and experimental tests. In summary, our study offers insights into steel plate behavior under tensile loads and introduces a new approach to predict crack growth, improving safety and reliability in critical steel structures.