Implementation of a plastically dissipated energy criterion for three dimensional modeling of fatigue crack growth

Numerical evaluation of Paris-regime crack growth rate based on plastically dissipated energy

“…Following the approach in Refs. [8,9,22], the entire cyclic path is simulated using the finite element (FE) method by conducting cycle by cycle simulations. The per-cycle crack propagation rate is not prescribed a priori, but automatically obtained by probing the plastically dissipated energy in a user-defined domain ahead of the current crack tip [8].…”

“…[8,9,22]. The computational scheme for cyclic crack propagation using the iterative algorithm described above is implemented in the commercially available finite element simulation package ABAQUS [25] and is divided into two main levels, Python level and the ABAQUS level, as shown in Fig.…”

“…Similar to the method used in Ref. [22], the Python ASI is used to specify ''equation constraints'' [25] in ABAQUS to define the intact portion of the crack interface and to update the interface at the end of each cycle as required by the crack propagation algorithm. Normal, frictionless contact formulation available in ABAQUS is prescribed at the crack wake to account for plasticity induced crack closure.…”

“…Following the approach in Refs. [9,22,[30][31][32], crack propagation is accomplished by releasing the ''equation constraints'' on the current crack front nodes at the end of the load cycle, i.e., at minimum load. Normal, frictionless contact formulation in ABAQUS [25] is employed at the crack wake to account for plasticity induced crack closure.…”

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Studies on Elastic-Plastic Fatigue Crack Growth

“…The numerical model with refining grid can be used to simulate the change rule of crack tip plastic zone under periodic load, and the plastic dissipation energy of the elements can also be determined easily. Nittur et al [Nittur, Karlsson and Carlsson (2013)] investigated the crack growth rate during cyclic loading via numerical simulation, and the crack extension is governed by a propagation criterion that relates the increment in plastically dissipated energy ahead of the crack tip to a critical value. Ding et al [Ding, Karlsson and Santare (2017)] simulated the paris-regime fatigue crack growth in polymers via a numerical procedure.…”