Curved thermal crack growth in a bounded brittle two-phase solid

1982 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. R69-R74 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Herrmann ◽  
H. Grebner
Keyword(s):  
1998 ◽  
Vol 529 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Antretter ◽  
E D. Fischer

AbstractIn many composites consisting of hard and brittle inclusions embedded in a ductile matrix failure can be attributed to particle cleavage followed by ductile crack growth in the matrix. Both mechanisms are significantly sensitive towards the presence of residual stresses.On the one hand particle failure depends on the stress distribution inside the inclusion, which, in turn, is a function of various geometrical parameters such as the aspect ratio and the position relative to adjacent particles as well as the external load. On the other hand it has been observed that the absolute size of each particle plays a role as well and will, therefore, be taken into account in this work by means of the Weibull theory. Unit cells containing a number of quasi-randomly oriented elliptical inclusions serve as the basis for the finite element calculations. The numerical results are then correlated to the geometrical parameters defining the inclusions. The probability of fracture has been evaluated for a large number of inclusions and plotted versus the particle size. The parameters of the fitting curves to the resulting data points depend on the choice of the Weibull parameters.A crack tip opening angle criterion (CTOA) is used to describe crack growth in the matrix emanating from a broken particle. It turns out that the crack resistance of the matrix largely depends on the distance from an adjacent particle. Residual stresses due to quenching of the material tend to reduce the risk of particle cleavage but promote crack propagation in the matrix.


Author(s):  
Zbigniew Mikulski ◽  
Vidar Hellum ◽  
Tom Lassen

The present paper presents a two-phase model for the fatigue damage evolution in welded steel joints. The argument for choosing a two-phase model is that crack initiation and subsequent crack propagation involve different damage mechanisms and should be treated separately. The crack initiation phase is defined as the number of cycles to reach a crack depth of 0.1 mm. This phase is modelled based on the Dang Van multiaxial stress approach. Both a multiaxial stress situation introduced by the acting loads and the presence of the multiaxial welding residual stresses are accounted for. The local notch effect at the weld toe becomes very important and the irregular weld toe geometry is characterized by extreme value statistics for the weld toe angle and radius. The subsequent crack growth is based in classical fracture based on the Paris law including the effect of the Stress Intensity Factor Range (SIFR) threshold value. The unique fatigue crack growth rate curve suggested by Huang, Moan and Cui is adopted. This approach keeps the growth rate parameters C and m constant whereas an effective SIFR is calculated for the actual stress range and loading ratio. The model is developed and verified based on fatigue crack growth data from fillet welded joints where cracks are emanating from the weld toe. For this test series measured crack depths below 0.1 mm are available. The two-phase model was in addition calibrated to fit the life prediction in the rule based S-N curve designated category 71 (or class F). A supplementary S-N curve is obtained by the Random Fatigue Limit Method (RFLM). The test results and the fitted model demonstrated that the crack initiation phase in welded joins is significant and cannot be ignored. The results obtained by the Dang Van approach for the initiation phase are promising but the modelling is not yet completed. The fracture mechanics model for the propagation phase gives good agreement with measured crack growth. However, it seems that the prediction of crack retardation based on a threshold value for the SIFR gives a fatigue limit that is overly optimistic for small cracks at the weld toe. The threshold value has been determined based on tests with rather large central cracks in plates. The validity for applying this threshold value for small cracks at the weld toe is questioned. As the present two-phase model is based on applied mechanics for both phases the parameters that have an influence on the fatigue damage evolution are directly entering into the model. Any change in these parameters can then be explicitly taken into account in logical and rational manner for fatigue life predictions. This not the case with the rule based S-N curves that are based on pure statistical treatment of the bulk fatigue life.


Author(s):  
Salim El Bouzidi ◽  
Marwan Hassan ◽  
Jovica Riznic

Nuclear steam generators are critical components of nuclear power plants. Flow-Induced Vibrations (FIV) are a major threat to the operation of nuclear steam generators. The two main manifestations of FIV in heat exchangers are turbulence and fluidelastic instability, which would add mechanical energy to the system resulting in great levels of vibrations. The consequences on the operation of steam generators are premature wear of the tubes, as well as development of cracks that may leak radioactive heavy water. This paper investigates the effect of tube support clearance on crack propagation. A crack growth model is used to simulate the growth of Surface Flaws and Through-Wall Cracks of various initial sizes due to a wide range of support clearances. Leakage rates are predicted using a two-phase flow leakage model. Non-linear finite element analysis is used to simulate a full U-bend subjected to fluidelastic and turbulence forces. Monte Carlo Simulations are then used to conduct a probabilistic assessment of steam generator life due to crack development.


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