Analyses of Dynamic Ductile Crack Growth

Abstract

Analyses of dynamic ductile crack growth are discussed where the material’s constitutive description allows for the possibility of a complete loss of stress carrying capacity. The analyses are based on a viscoplastic constitutive relation for a progressively cavitating solid and two populations of void nucleating particles are represented; large inclusions that nucleate voids early in the deformation history and small particles that require large strains before cavities nucleate. Within this framework fracture arises as a natural outcome of the deformation process. The computed crack growth velocities are entirely based on the ductile failure predictions of the material model. Thus, the calculations are free from ad hoc assumptions regarding appropriate dynamic crack growth criteria. Predictions for the dynamic crack growth behavior and for the time variation of crack tip characterizing parameters are obtained for various conditions and for various values of material parameters.