Lynx: A user‐friendly computer application for simulating fatigue growth of planar cracks using FEM

People engaged in fracture mechanics education recognise the need to combine theory and effective practice in order to enhance students' skills in this field. Nevertheless, real experiments are not always possible for education purposes because they require too much time, involve specialised equipment and specimen preparation. In these circumstances, numerical simulation is a valid alternative to guarantee the link between theory and practice. In this article, a computer application capable of simulating the fatigue crack growth (FCG) of planar cracks under mode‐I cyclic loading is presented. This tool incorporates an extensive range of real significance problems found in the context of FCG. Besides, an intuitive and user‐friendly interface was provided in order to improve its functionality and to allow the user to define quickly and easily fundamental input data. Default values are proposed for less experienced users, seeking the minimum effort in numerical model definition. The use of this software in educational context is expected to provide a major insight into FCG phenomenon. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 22:529–540, 2014; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.10.1002/cae.20578

[1]  G. Bezine,et al.  Numerical simulation of fatigue crack propagation in compressive residual stress fields of notched round bars , 2007 .

[2]  Hans Albert Richard,et al.  Fatigue crack propagation in the frame of a hydraulic press , 2008, CP 2013.

[3]  James C. Newman,et al.  An empirical stress-intensity factor equation for the surface crack , 1981 .

[4]  V. N. Shlyannikov,et al.  Fatigue crack growth for straight-fronted edge crack in a round bar , 2006 .

[5]  M. A. Mahmoud,et al.  Assessment of stress intensity factor and aspect ratio variability of surface cracks in bending plates , 1986 .

[6]  Roderick A. Smith,et al.  Finite element modelling of fatigue crack growth of surface cracked plates: Part III: Stress intensity factor and fatigue crack growth life , 1999 .

[7]  Hans Albert Richard,et al.  Development of a new software for adaptive crack growth simulations in 3D structures , 2003 .

[8]  A. Bakker,et al.  THREE‐DIMENSIONAL CONSTRAINT EFFECTS ON STRESS INTENSITY DISTRIBUTIONS IN PLATE GEOMETRIES WITH THROUGH‐THICKNESS CRACKS , 1992 .

[9]  N. Couroneau,et al.  Simplified model for the fatigue growth analysis of surface cracks in round bars under mode I , 1998 .

[10]  X. Lin,et al.  FINITE ELEMENT MODELLING OF FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH OF SURFACE CRACKED PLATES. PART II : CRACK SHAPE CHANGE , 1999 .

[11]  D. Rooke,et al.  The compendium of stress intensity factors , 1978, International Journal of Fracture.

[12]  Jaime Planas,et al.  KI evaluation by the displacement extrapolation technique , 2000 .

[13]  Leon M Keer,et al.  Stress Intensity Factors Handbook, Vol. 3 , 1993 .

[14]  Luiz Carlos Hernandes Ricardo,et al.  Extent of surface regions near corner points of notched cracked bodies subjected to mode-I loading , 2012 .

[15]  Andrea Carpinteri,et al.  Surface cracks in notched round bars under cyclic tension and bending , 2006 .

[16]  Elvira Martinez,et al.  Simulations as a new physics teaching tool , 2010, Comput. Appl. Eng. Educ..

[17]  X. B. Lin,et al.  Shape growth simulation of surface cracks in tension fatigued round bars , 1997 .

[18]  Andrea Carpinteri,et al.  ELLIPTICAL‐ARC SURFACE CRACKS IN ROUND BARS , 1992 .

[19]  C. Gardin,et al.  Analytical prediction of crack propagation under thermal cyclic loading inducing a thermal gradient in the specimen thickness – Comparison with experiments and numerical approach , 2011 .

[20]  村上 敬宜,et al.  Stress intensity factors handbook , 1987 .

[21]  Fabiano Andre Narciso Fernandes,et al.  Educational software for heat exchanger equipment , 2010, Comput. Appl. Eng. Educ..

[22]  Chow-Shing Shin,et al.  Experimental and finite element analyses on stress intensity factors of an elliptical surface crack in a circular shaft under tension and bending , 2004 .

[23]  Guido Dhondt,et al.  Automatic crack-insertion for arbitrary crack growth , 2008 .

[24]  Andrea Carpinteri,et al.  Part-through cracks in round bars under cyclic combined axial and bending loading , 1996 .

[25]  L. Gavete,et al.  A new singular finite element in linear elasticity , 1989 .

[26]  T. Nykänen,et al.  FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH SIMULATIONS BASED ON FREE FRONT SHAPE DEVELOPMENT , 2007 .

[27]  Ricardo Branco,et al.  Determination of Paris law constants with a reverse engineering technique , 2009 .

[28]  X. Lin,et al.  Finite element modelling of fatigue crack growth of surface cracked plates , 1999 .

[29]  V. Murti,et al.  A universal optimum quarter point element , 1986 .

[30]  A. Ingraffea,et al.  Stress‐intensity factor computation in three dimensions with quarter‐point elements , 1980 .

[31]  Wang Chong,et al.  On teaching finite element method in plasticity with Mathematica , 2008, Comput. Appl. Eng. Educ..

[32]  F. V. Antunes,et al.  Finite element modelling and analysis of crack shape evolution in mode-I fatigue Middle Cracked Tension specimens , 2008 .

[33]  Hans Albert Richard,et al.  Development of fatigue crack growth in real structures , 2008 .

[34]  Rui F. Martins,et al.  Modelling fatigue crack propagation in CT specimens , 2008 .

[35]  Guido Dhondt,et al.  Cyclic crack propagation at corners and holes , 2005 .

[36]  X. B. Lin,et al.  Shape evolution of surface cracks in fatigued round bars with a semicircular circumferential notch , 1999 .

[37]  R. Branco,et al.  Using a standard specimen for crack propagation under plain strain conditions , 2010 .

[38]  M. A. Mahmoud,et al.  Evaluation of stress intensity factor and fatigue growth of surface cracks in tension plates , 1985 .

[39]  Véronique Lazarus,et al.  Brittle fracture and fatigue propagation paths of 3D plane cracks under uniform remote tensile loading , 2003 .

[40]  Andrea Carpinteri,et al.  Shape change of surface cracks in round bars under cyclic axial loading , 1993 .

[41]  Hiroshi Tada,et al.  The stress analysis of cracks handbook , 2000 .

[42]  Ventura Antunes,et al.  Influence of frequency, stress ratio and stress state on fatigue crack growth in nickel base superalloys at elevated temperature. , 1999 .

[43]  Jung-Ju Lee,et al.  Successive 3D FE analysis technique for characterization of fatigue crack growth behavior in composite-repaired aluminum plate , 2004 .

[44]  Andrea Carpinteri,et al.  Sickle‐shaped crack in a round bar under complex Mode I loading , 2007 .

[45]  P. C. Paris,et al.  The Stress Analysis of Cracks Handbook, Third Edition , 2000 .