Crack path prediction of thermal cracks arising in self-stressed two-phase brittle compounds

Abstract

The crack path prediction of thermal cracks in self-stressed two-phase compounds subjected to uniform and nonuniform temperature distributions, respectively, has been studied by using the finite element method as well as by applying an appropriate crack growth criterion. A series of different self-stressed two-phase solids subjected to uniform as well as nonuniform temperature distributions, respectively, have been investigated. A comparison of the numerically obtained results in case of the existence of a uniform temperature distribution in the cross sections of two-phase composite structures for both the thermal crack paths and the corresponding fracture mechanical data at the crack tips with the experimental results gained from associated cooling experiments showed a good agreement.