Abstract
Cohesive zone models, which incorporate some form of cohesive law as the fracture criterion within the localised damage zone, are increasingly being used in the fracture assessment of tough engineering materials. However, the exact characterisation of the material within the damage zone is crucial as it has a fundamental bearing on the computed crack growth rates. A procedure is presented for implementing a cohesive zone model using the finite volume method by incorporating experimentally measured traction curves as the local fracture criterion. Experimental load–time and crack growth data in tough polyethylene for a three point bend geometry are compared with numerical predictions. Reasonable agreement is achieved between experiment and model predictions when a single fixed rate traction–separation curve is used for all cells along the prescribed crack path. Predictions are improved by incorporating a scheme for switching between a family of rate dependent curves in place of a single fixed rate curve. Results also indicate the necessity of incorporating the effect of difference in constraint along the crack path into the choice of the local traction–separation law.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call