Stochastic Crack Propagation with Applications to Durability and Damage Tolerance Analyses

Abstract : Various stochastic models for fatigue crack propagation under either constant amplitude or spectrum loadings have been investigated. These models are based on the assumption that the crack growth rate is a lognormal random process, including the general lognormal random process, lognormal white noise process, lognormal random variable, and second moment approximations, such as Weibull, gamma, lognormal and Gaussian closure approximations. Extensive experimental data have been used for the correlation study with various stochastic models. These include fastener hole specimens under fighter or bomber spectrum laodings and center-cracked specimens under constant amplitude loads. The data sets for the fastener hole specimens cover adequately different loading conditions, environments, load transfers and crack size range. It is shown that the white noise process is definitely not a valid model for fatigue crack propagation. Keywords: Fracture mechanics; Durability; and Structural components.