Failure Prediction for Cross-Rolled Beryllium Sheet Material

Abstract

A failure model for cross-rolled beryllium SR-200 sheets is developed for material loaded in a complex state of stress. Coefficients of the Tsai-Wu criterion are determined from a series of special laboratory experiments. Tests include circular plates loaded by a concentric ring, as well as in-plane compression and off-axis plate specimens. Complex states of stress lead to brittle failure of the anisotropic material. Failure surfaces obtained from the criterion form a family of ellipses when plotted in standard Cartesian coordinates. The criterion is incorporated into a general purpose finite element analysis code. Numerical simulation incrementally applies loads to a structural component that is being designed and checks each nodal point in the model for exceedance of the failure criterion. To demonstrate applicability of the predictive capability of the criterion, a 2.54-mm thick beryllium plate is placed under clamped edge conditions and loaded to failure by a central transverse point load. A numerical model of the structure predicts the failure load to within three percent.