Fatigue failure model with peridynamic theory

Abstract

This study presents a methodology to predict the fatigue failure of materials due to cyclic loading within the realm of peridynamic theory. This approach incorporates material failure intrinsically without the need for external crack growth criteria and post-processing. Failure occurs when and where it is energetically favorable. Fatigue life prediction is a natural extension of crack initiation and growth while allowing material degradation. The present approach focuses on the crack growth phase of fatigue life rather than initiation. During the crack growth phase, material degrades, and fatigue process is viewed as a quasi-static series of discrete crack growth steps. Crack growth process is controlled by the critical value of material stretch and that cyclic loading causes degradation in the critical stretch. When the critical amount of stretch is reached, stable crack growth occurs.