Open Access

ARTICLE

Two-dimensional Numerical Estimation of Stress Intensity Factors and Crack Propagation in Linear Elastic Analysis

Abdulnaser M. Alshoaibi^1,2, M. S. A. Hadi², A. K. Ariffin²

1 Corresponding author. Tel. +603-89216136. Fax. +603-89259659 E-mail address: alshoaibi@gmail.com; alhager01@yahoo.com(A. Alshoaibi).
2 Departmentof Mechanical & Materials Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring 2007, 3(1), 15-28. https://doi.org/10.3970/sdhm.2007.003.015

Abstract

An adaptive finite element method is employed to analyze two-dimensional linear elastic fracture problems. The mesh is generated by the advancing front method and the norm stress error is taken as a posteriori error estimator for the h-type adaptive refinement. The stress intensity factors are estimated by a displacement extrapolation technique. The near crack tip displacements used are obtained from specific nodes of natural six-noded quarter-point elements which are generated around the crack tip defined by the user. The crack growth and its direction are determined by the calculated stress intensity factors as the maximum circumference theory is also been involved in determining the direction. In evaluating the accuracy of the estimated stress intensity factors, five cases are tested consisting compact tension specimen, three-points bending specimen, double edge notched plate, central cracked plate and single edge cracked plate. These comprehensive tests are carried out and compared to the results from other studies. The crack trajectories for all of these specimen tests are also illustrated.

---

Keywords

---