Crack growth in three-dimensional structures

ABSTRACT: This paper deals with three-dimensional Mixed-Mode Fracture and Fatigue problems and the simulation of 3D crack growth under Mixed-Mode I+II+III loading. In contrast to pure Mode I loading, where the crack surface develops self-similar (co-planar) from the initial crack, the growth of Mixed-Mode loaded cracks generally leads to non-planar crack surfaces. Furthermore, the paper presents the software system ADAPCRACK3D that has recently been developed at the Institute of Applied Mechanics (FAM) to predict crack growth in complex three-dimensional structures under multiaxial loading. Its main focus is on the determination of 3D-crack paths and the evaluation of components ’ lifetimes as part of the damage tolerant assessment. A simulation example will show the capability of ADAPCRACK3D’s advanced three-dimensional crack growth simulation