Open Access

ARTICLE

Energy Release Rates for Interface Cracks in Multilayered Structures

Changwei Huang^1,*, Philip A. Williams²

1 Department of Civil Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, Taoyuan 32023, Taiwan.
2 Simutech Solution Corporation, 14F, No. 90, Section 2, Nanjing E. Rd., Taipei 10406, Taiwan.

* Corresponding Author: Changwei Huang. Email: .

(This article belongs to this Special Issue: Nano/Micro Structures in Application of Computational Mechanics)

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2019, 120(2), 261-272. https://doi.org/10.32604/cmes.2019.06681

Abstract

This paper examines the evolution of the interfacial deflection energy release rates in multilayered structures under four-point bending. The J-integral and the extended finite element method (XFEM) are adopted to investigate the evolution of the interfacial deflection energy release rates of composite structures. Numerical results not only verify the accuracy of analytical solutions for the steady-state interfacial deflection energy release rate, but also provide the evolutionary history of the interfacial deflection energy release rate under different crack lengths. In addition, non-dimensional parametric analyses are performed to discuss the effects of normalized ratios of the crack length, the elastic modulus, and the thickness on the interfacial deflection energy release rate. The results demonstrate that the elastic modulus ratio and thickness ratio have a distinct influence on the interfacial deflection energy release rate for multilayered beams. Furthermore, an unstable interfacial crack tends to occur for elastic multilayer beams with higher elastic modulus on the upper sub-beam under bending moments. The unstable interfacial fracture shows a decreasing interfacial deflection energy release rate with an increasing interfacial crack length.

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