A software tool for automated crack onset and growth simulation based on the eXtended Finite Element Method (X-FEM) is developed. This XFA tool for the first time is able to simulate arbitrary crack growth or composite delamination without remeshing. The automated tool is integrated with Abaqus/Standard and Abaqus/CAE via the customization interfaces. It seamlessly works with the Commercial, Of...

An assessment of the plasticity-induced crack-closure concept is made, in light of some of the questions that have been raised on the validity of the concept, and the assumptions that have been made concerning crack-tip damage below the crack-opening stress. The impact of using other crack-tip parameters, such as the cyclic crack-tip displacement, to model crack-growth rate behavior was studied...

In this study, based on a regression of the crack tip displacements, the stress intensity range in fatigue is quantitatively determined for the shape memory alloy Ni2FeGa. The results are compared to the calculated stress intensity ranges with a micro-mechanical analysis accounting for the transformation-induced tractions. The effective stress intensity ranges obtained with both methods are in ...

Usually ultrasonic techniques tend to evaluate the closed cracks as smaller than the actual size. In this paper, we describe two strategic techniques for accurately evaluating the closed cracks by means of ultrasound. First, we show the advanced technique utilizing the thermal stress induced by cooling a cracked part. It is shown that a small amount of temperature decrease is effective to open ...

The finite displacement formulation of a quadrilateral element containing an embedded displacement discontinuity is presented. The formulation is based on the kinematically optimal technique, and some known defects of this technique are addressed. Lagrange multipliers are adopted to ensure the correct crack closure prior to initiation. Six additional degrees of freedom in each element allow the...

using cold working fastener holes is a simple life enhancement procedure that strengthens metallic components by retarding crack growth around a hole. in the present paper, the residual stress field that is induced by the hole expansion process is obtained based on different material models namely elastic perfect plastic, isotropic hardening and kinematic hardening using three-dimensional finit...

Fatigue-crack-growth (FCG) rate tests were conducted on compact specimens made of an Inconel-718 alloy to study the behavior over a wide range in load ratios (0.1 6 R 6 0.95) and a constant Kmax test condition. Previous research had indicated that high R (>0.7) and constant Kmax test conditions near threshold conditions were suspected to be crack-closure-free and that any differences were attri...