An alternative and robust formulation of the fatigue crack growth rate curve for long cracks

Abstract

Crack growth simulations are an important method for estimating the remaining service life of components and structures with cracks under cyclic loading. In particular, the evaluation of cracks emanating from clinched joints is a major challenge because the fracture mechanical properties of the sheet materials can change locally due to the joining process. Special specimens are used to determine the relevant crack growth rate curves. For the application of these curves within simulation programs, they are described using crack propagation equations. This requires an accurate formulaic description of the entire crack curve with clearly identifiable parameters that unambiguously describe certain characteristics of the crack growth rate curve. Known approaches either describe only parts of the crack growth rate curve or the single parameters affect different characteristics of the curve and thus influence each other. Therefore, a new alternative and robust mathematical fit of the crack growth rate curve is developed and validated with experimental results.