Crack propagation in polycrystalline elastic-viscoplastic materials using cohesive zone models

Abstract

Cohesive zone model was used to simulate two-dimensional plane strain crack propagation at the grain level model including grain boundary zones. Simulated results show that the original crack-tip may not be separated firstly in an elastic-viscoplastic polycrystals. The grain interior’s material properties (e.g. strain rate sensitivity) characterize the competitions between plastic and cohesive energy dissipation mechanisms. The higher the strain rate sensitivity is, the larger amount of the external work is transformed into plastic dissipation energy than into cohesive energy, which delays the cohesive zone rupturing. With the strain rate sensitivity decreased, the material property tends to approach the elastic-plastic responses. In this case, the plastic dissipation energy decreases and the cohesive dissipation energy increases which accelerates the cohesive zones debonding. Increasing the cohesive strength or the critical separation displacement will reduce the stress triaxiality at grain interiors and grain boundaries. Enhancing the cohesive zones ductility can improve the matrix materials resistance to void damage.