Stress intensity factors for three-dimensional cracks in functionally graded materials using enriched finite elements

Abstract

A three-dimensional enriched finite-element methodology is presented to compute stress intensity factors for three-dimensional cracks contained in functionally graded materials (FGMs). A general-purpose 3D finite-element based fracture analysis program, FRAC3D, is enhanced to include this capability. First, using available solutions from the literature, comparisons have been made in terms of stresses under different loading conditions, such as uniform tensile, bending and thermal loads. Mesh refinement studies are also performed. The fracture solutions are obtained for edge cracks in an FGM strip and surface cracks in a finite-thickness FGM plate and compared with existing solutions in the literature. Further analyses are performed to study the behavior of stress intensity factor near the free surface where crack front terminates. It is shown that three-dimensional enriched finite elements provide accurate and efficient fracture solutions for three-dimensional cracks contained in functionally graded materials.