Abstract
The interaction between a macrocrack and a cluster of microcracks has been investigated based on Muskhelishvili’s complex potential method. A step-by-step subproblem procedure is used to satisfy the stress boundary conditions on each crack surface. The interactions between a cluster of microcracks and a macrocrack and the interaction among microcracks are analyzed. Three damage configurations as chained, reverse-chained, and randomly distributed microcracks have been designed to simulate the damage around the macrocrack tip. The solution of an infinite elastic plane containing a macrocrack and a cluster of microcracks is presented for the plane subjected to a uniform tensile load. The stress intensity factor (SIF) at the macrocrack tip and the microcrack tips is obtained. The results show that the inclination angle of the microcrack and the distance between the macrocrack and microcracks have a great influence on SIF. When the inclination angle is small, the SIF at microcrack tips may be larger than other inclination angles. These results are helpful to analyze the fracture or damage behaviors of materials.
Highlights
Many experimental investigations demonstrate that profuse microcrack propagations can be observed during the evolution of fracture process in the high-stress concentration regions, as well at the tip of the macrocrack [1,2,3,4]
The results show that the inclination angle of the microcrack and the distance between the macrocrack and microcracks have a great influence on stress intensity factor (SIF)
The microcrack has a great effect on SIF at the macrocrack tip
Summary
Many experimental investigations demonstrate that profuse microcrack propagations can be observed during the evolution of fracture process in the high-stress concentration regions, as well at the tip of the macrocrack [1,2,3,4]. The interaction between a macrocrack and multiple microcracks is a topical problem in elastic theory and fracture mechanics. The pseudotractions method has been developed by many studies [5,6,7,8,9] to investigate the interaction problem between main crack and microcracks. Hoagland [18] and Ismail [19] studied the process of the nucleation and interaction of microcracks near a macrocrack tip by using the complex potential method and the theory of dislocation. Based on the principle of superposition and a flattening method, Xia Xiaozhou et al [22] analyzed the interaction between cracks and effect of microcrack zone on main crack tip.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
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
