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ENGG409 Structural Integrity

Elastic-Plastic Fracture
Mechanics
Dr Will Christian
[email protected]
Harrison Hughes, Room 110
 This Week
• Considering the role of regulators in structural design

• Elastic-plastic fracture mechanics (EPFM), for 𝐾𝑟

significant plasticity at crack tip

• J-Integral for analysing fracture

• R6 Methodology for performing EPFM analysis

𝐿𝑟
• Failure Assessment coursework set

3
 Beyond Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics

• If the plastic zone is large relative to the crack size then

other techniques are used

• These techniques aren’t as simple as SIFs but are regularly

seen in industry
Most common and thus will
• J-Integral be the focus of this week

• Crack tip opening displacement

4
 Strain Energy in Bar

𝑃
𝑃𝑑
Work Done, 𝐹 =
2

Load, 𝑃
𝑃𝑑
Strain Energy, 𝑈 =
2

Energy is Conserved so 𝐹 = 𝑈
Displacement, 𝑑

For tensile bar, stress is same everywhere

𝑃
Strain energy is even distributed throughout the bar

5
 Strain Energy in Cracked Bar

𝑃 2𝑎
𝛿𝑎
2𝑎 + 2𝛿𝑎

Load, 𝑃
2𝑎
Displacement, 𝑑

• Strain energy is not evenly distributed

𝑃 • If crack is longer then less load is needed for the same

displacement

6
 Energy Rates
Small changes in crack area result in small changes in energy, the rate
energy changes can be calculated:

𝑑𝐹
is rate of work Note:
𝑑𝐴
𝐴≠𝑎
𝑑𝑈
is strain energy release rate
𝑑𝐴
𝐴 is the area of the crack and
𝑑𝑊 thus related, but not equal to
is fracture energy
𝑑𝐴 crack length, 𝑎

Energy is always conserved, so:

𝑑
𝐹−𝑈−𝑊 =0
𝑑𝐴
7
 Linking Energy Rates to SIFs
• For linear elastic fracture mechanics:

𝑑𝑈 𝐾𝐼 2 𝑑𝑊 𝐾𝐼𝑐 2
=𝐺= and = 𝐺𝑐 =
𝑑𝐴 𝐸 𝑑𝐴 𝐸

• For elastic-plastic fracture mechanics, i.e. plastic deformation

occurs:

𝑑𝑈 𝑑𝑊
=𝐽 and = 𝐽𝑐
𝑑𝐴 𝑑𝐴

• But what is 𝐽 and how do we use it?

8
 J-Integral

𝜕𝒖
𝐽 = ර 𝑤 ∙ 𝑑𝑦 − 𝑻 𝑑𝑠
Γ 𝜕𝑥 𝒖
𝑻

𝑤 is strain energy density, the total amount of energy stored as

strain in all directions in a unit volume Γ
𝑻 is traction vector, vector of stresses acting normally to the
contour
𝒖 is displacement vector, vector of displacements in the x and y
directions
𝑑𝑠 is increment in arc length, i.e. the infinitesimally small
distance moved along the contour

9
 Benefits of J-Integral

• Path chosen doesn’t affect 𝐽 value

• Has identical behaviour as 𝐾 when performing LEFM

• But can also handle plasticity

• A threshold, 𝐽𝑐 , exists where crack will grow, i.e. crack

will grow if
𝐽 ≥ 𝐽𝑐

10
 Obtaining J From Load Curve

Energy required to grow

crack, i.e. ∆𝐴 ∙ ∆𝐽 • Specimen repeatedly loaded and
unloaded

• Crack length monitored

Load, 𝑃

• Area under load-displacement graph

indicates load required to grow crack
Displacement, 𝑑

11
 Other Methods to Obtain J

• Equations exist for predicting the elastic-plastic stress

fields around crack tips, J-integral can be derived from
these.
• Hutchinson, Rice and Rosengren (HRR) Stress Fields

• Finite element analysis can be used to estimate the J-

integral for a crack in an elastic-plastic material

• Surface displacements can be measured using optical

cameras

12
 When will Failure Occur
• A simpler way of predicting failure exists

• You currently know two separate failure criteria:

• Plastic collapse, 𝜎𝑟𝑒𝑓 ≥ 𝜎𝑌𝑆 In reality load can be carried
• Fracture, 𝐾𝐼 ≥ 𝐾𝑐 after yield. We assume plastic
collapse will occur when:
• We can think of failure as
being a function of these two
𝜎𝑌𝑆 + 𝜎 𝑈𝑆
𝜎𝑟𝑒𝑓 ≥
quantities, 𝜎𝑟𝑒𝑓 and 𝐾𝐼 2

• These can be normalised to approximately between 0 and 1:

𝜎𝑟𝑒𝑓 𝐾𝐼
𝐿𝑟 = 𝐾𝑟 =
𝜎𝑌𝑆 𝐾𝑐
13
 Proximity to Plastic Collapse
• Plastic collapse is failure due to excessive yielding of the
material
𝜎𝑟𝑒𝑓
𝐿𝑟 =
• We ignore fracture and consider failure based on 𝜎𝑌𝑆
uncracked cross-sectional area
Assume this side takes no Reference stress
load 𝜎𝑔
𝑊
𝜎𝑟𝑒𝑓 = 𝜎𝑔 ∙
𝑊−𝑎
𝑎 𝑊−𝑎

𝑊
This is the ratio of the uncracked
to the total cross-sectional area
𝜎𝑔

14
 Calculating the Reference Stress
Crack Growing from Hole
Surface Crack
𝜎𝑔
𝑊
𝑊
𝑎 2𝑎

2𝑅

Treat as
𝑊
𝜎𝑔 rectangular
crack ℎ
𝑐
Load can’t be taken at hole
or crack so: 2𝑎
𝑊ℎ
𝑊 𝜎𝑟𝑒𝑓 = 𝜎𝑔 ∙
𝜎𝑟𝑒𝑓 = 𝜎𝑔 ∙ 𝑊ℎ − 2𝑐𝑎
𝑊 − 2𝑅 − 𝑎

15
 Basic Failure Assessment Diagram
𝜎𝑟𝑒𝑓 𝐾𝐼
𝐿𝑟 = 𝐾𝑟 =
𝜎𝑌𝑆 𝐾𝑐
• If we calculate 𝐿𝑟 and 𝐾𝑟 for a crack
then we get two numbers
𝐾𝑟
Fracture Occurs • This can be plotted on a graph
1
• This describes how close we are to
(𝐿𝑟 , 𝐾𝑟 ) Plastic failure
Collapse
Occurs • Clear this won’t be reliable near top-
right corner
𝜎𝑌𝑆 + 𝜎𝑈𝑆 𝐿𝑟
2𝜎𝑌𝑆
16
 Return of the J-Integral

𝐾𝑟 • Remember fracture occurs when:

𝐽 ≥ 𝐽𝑐
• For each possible load we use this to calculate the
critical crack length, 𝑎𝑐 (𝜎𝑔 )

• This is then used to calculate 𝐿𝑟,𝑐 and 𝐾𝑟,𝑐

Acceptable Plastic collapse line

is fine so it is kept

𝜎𝑌𝑆 + 𝜎𝑈𝑆 𝐿𝑟
2𝜎𝑌𝑆
17
 Different Conditions
As we vary:
Material,
𝐾𝑟
Crack size,
Geometry, or
Loading

We find that the lines all look similar

Plastic collapse line can change a lot

𝐿𝑟

18
 R6 Option 1 Curve
2 −0.5
𝐾𝑟,𝑐 = 1 + 0.5𝐿𝑟 ∙ 0.3 + 0.7exp(−0.6𝐿𝑟 6 )
𝐾𝑟 Option 1 is conservative. If material
This equation can be
used regardless of: properties are known less
Material, conservative curves can be used
Crack size,
Geometry, or
Loading Remember the position of the
plastic collapse line does
change when material changes
𝜎𝑌𝑆 + 𝜎𝑈𝑆
2𝜎𝑌𝑆
𝐿𝑟

19
 Using R6 to Estimate Failure Load
Using R6 to estimate when crack component will fail
𝐾𝑟
Graphical solution

1. Plot Option 1 curve using standard

equation
2 −0.5
𝐾𝑟,𝑐 = 1 + 0.5𝐿𝑟 ∙ 0.3 + 0.7exp(−0.6𝐿𝑟 6 )

2. Plot plastic collapse line

𝜎𝑌𝑆 + 𝜎𝑈𝑆
𝐿𝑟,𝑐 =
2𝜎𝑌𝑆
𝐿𝑟

20
 Using R6 to Estimate Failure Load
𝜎𝑔

𝐾𝑟 𝑎
3. Choose most appropriate equation for 𝐾𝑟
𝑊 1 𝑎
e.g., 𝐾𝑟 = 𝜎𝑔 𝜋𝑎𝛽
𝐾𝑐 𝑊

𝜎𝑔 4. Determine equation for 𝐿𝑟

𝜎𝑟𝑒𝑓 1 𝑊
e.g., 𝐿𝑟 = = 𝜎𝑔 ∙
𝜎𝑌𝑆 𝜎𝑌𝑆 𝑊−𝑎

5. Plot 𝐿𝑟 , 𝐾𝑟 for different values of 𝜎𝑔

increasing from 0

𝐿𝑟

21
 Using R6 to Estimate Failure Load

𝐾𝑟 5. Add more points close to the acceptable/not

Fails due to
acceptable cross over
fracture
6. Until you have point just inside of
acceptable region

7. Crossing point tells you what type of failure

will occur

Fails due to 8. Look at the value of 𝜎𝑔 used to calculate 𝐿𝑟

plastic collapse
and 𝐾𝑟 for that point
𝐿𝑟

22
 Using a Computer for R6

𝐾𝑟
• The more applied stresses that you test, the
more accurate your answer will be.

• This analysis can be done using:

• Excel
• Matlab

• Other packages can be used, but ability to

plot answers is useful to check method is
𝐿𝑟 correct.

23
 Estimating Critical Crack Length

𝐾𝑟
• Steps 1 to 4 are the same as before. Typical line when
estimating critical
failure load
• For Step 5, 𝜎𝑔 is constant whilst 𝑎 is Typical line when
increased from 0 estimating critical
crack length

• Means line plotted on failure

assessment diagram looks different

• Used when predicting fatigue life

𝐿𝑟

24
 When Does Failure Occur

Each marker indicates

the conditions when a
test specimen failed

• Failure doesn’t occur immediately after crossing FAD curve

• FAD Curve is indicator of what is acceptable and isn’t acceptable

25, break Graph from TWI, Industrial Member Report 1107-2018

 Performing R6 in Excel

26
 Primary and Secondary Stresses
• Not all stresses are treated the same

• Primary stresses, can cause either fracture of collapse, examples:

• Weight of structure
• Internal pressure
• External loads

• Secondary stresses, only contribute to fracture, examples:

• Forming stresses
• Thermal stresses, such as at welds

27
 Adding Secondary Stresses

𝐾𝑟 Load line when secondary

stresses added • Load line is shifted up by the secondary
stress

• Plastic collapse can still happen in some

situations

• Kink is due to how stresses are combined

Load line for only

primary stresses

𝐿𝑟

28
 Secondary Stresses in R6
• Secondary stresses are combined with primary stresses when
calculating 𝐾𝑟

If no residual stress, 𝐾𝐼𝑆 = 0 and

𝐾𝐼𝑃 𝑉𝐾𝐼𝑆
𝐾𝑟 = + thus 𝐾𝑟 is the same as earlier.
𝐾𝑐 𝐾𝐶

1 + 0.2𝐿𝑟 + 0.02𝑛 1 + 2𝐿𝑟 0 ≤ 𝐿𝑟 ≤ 𝑚

𝑉=൞ 3.1 − 2𝐿𝑟 𝑚 ≤ 𝐿𝑟 ≤ 1.35
0.4 1.35 ≤ 𝐿𝑟
𝐿𝑟
105−𝑛 𝐾𝐼𝑆 ∙𝐿𝑟
Where, 𝑚= and, 𝑛=
110+2𝑛 𝐾𝐼𝑃

29
 Using Secondary Stresses
1. The main failure assessment curve, 𝐾𝑟,𝑐 is unchanged

2. For each load or crack length, calculate 𝐿𝑟 and 𝐾𝐼𝑃

3. 𝐾𝐼𝑆 is calculated using the same stress intensity factor equation as used for 𝐾𝐼𝑃
Geometry Residual stresses are hard
𝐾𝐼𝑆 = 𝜎𝑅𝑆 𝜋𝑎𝛽 Adjustment
to measure so assume
worst case scenario, i.e.
Residual Stress 𝜎𝑅𝑆 = 𝜎𝑌𝑆
𝐾𝐼𝑃 𝑉𝐾𝐼𝑆
4. Calculate 𝑉 and use it to combine the SIFs, 𝐾𝑟 = +
𝐾𝑐 𝐾𝐶

5. Plot defects 𝐾𝑟 curve and identify when it crosses FAD curve as before

30
 Recap

✓ Different methods must be used when plasticity occurs

• Irwin or Dugdale plastic zones
• J-Integral

✓ R6 and FADs can be used to simplify analysis of fracture and plastic collapse

✓ Set the failure assessment coursework

Next Week:
• Corrosion

31
 The School of Engineering take your
NSS feedback very seriously.

Both the numerical scores and the

free text comments.

Please think back over your entire

University course and give a score
that fairly reflects the whole
experience

It is vital that you all complete this survey Remember the things you really
to give a true picture of the student enjoyed or valued – not just the areas
experience on our programmes. where we could improve.
Why don’t you do it now?