ANSYS

Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics
Example
LEFM Example
ANSYS has the ability to perform linear elastic fracture mechanics
(LEFM) using several approaches.
LEFM uses derived elasticity solutions to determine the stress
intensity factor K
I
at a crack tip.
K
I
can be compared to the material fracture toughness to determine if
the crack will propagate.

ANSYS also has the ability with the J-integral feature to predict
crack behavior in the presence of plasticity.
This feature is not presented here.
LEFM Example
The approaches that can be performed in ANSYS include:
Direct method Substitute near-crack element stress and locations
directly into the near-crack elasticity solution to estimate K
I
.
Use special quarter-point crack elements and KCALC command to
predict K
I
.
Use J-integral method to predict J from path integration around crack
tip, then use relationship between J and K
I
to determine K
I
.
Crack opening displacement approach to relate the relative
displacement of the crack faces to K
I
.

Several of these methods are demonstrated and compared to
theoretical results.
LEFM Example
Demonstration problem:
Prediction and comparison of K
I
of compact specimen using the
following methods:
Hand calculation.
ANSYS special crack tip elements.
ANSYS J-integral method.
ANSYS direct method.

LEFM Example
Demonstration problem: Hand calculation.
From fracture mechanics text, K
I
for a compact specimen is given as:

(
(

|
.
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\
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|
.
|

\
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+ |
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
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+
= |
.
|

\
|
= |
.
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\
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4 3 2
2
3
60 . 5 72 . 14 32 . 13 64 . 4 886 . 0
1
2
W
a
W
a
W
a
W
a
W
a
W
a
W
a
f
P
W B K
W
a
f
I
1.25 W
B = 1 in
a = 1 in
W = 2 in
P = 33.3 lb
K
I
= 227.7 psi-in
1/2
LEFM Example
Demonstration problem: ANSYS special crack tip elements.
2D plane strain mesh.
KSCON command used to automatically create local crack tip mesh
with quarter-point nodes.
Half specimen modeled using symmetry boundary conditions.

Crack tip
Crack face
Symmetry boundary
LEFM Example
Demonstration problem: ANSYS special crack tip elements.
KCALC command used with quarter-point elements to determine K
I
.

K
I
= 225.6 psi-in
1/2
LEFM Example
Demonstration problem: ANSYS J-integral method.
CINT commands used to define crack tip node and request number of
contours to use (10).
Same model as before, but special crack tip elements are not
required.
Paths are created automatically around the crack tip, using the next
available row of elements.

Path 7 of 10
Crack tip
Crack face
LEFM Example
Demonstration problem: ANSYS J-integral method.
Printed J-integral values for 10 contours:





Plotted J-integral values for 10 contours:

J = 0.00154 lb/in

LEFM Example
Demonstration problem: ANSYS J-integral method.
Relating J and K
I
for plane strain, assuming no plasticity:



K
I
= 225.3 psi-in
1/2
J = 0.00154 lb/in
E = 30 x 10
6
psi
v = 0.3

( )
E
K
J
I
2
2
1 v
=
LEFM Example
Demonstration problem: ANSYS direct method.
In the direct method, elements near the crack tip are used to calculate
K
I
by direct substitution of r, u, and o
yy
:




Using the same mesh used in the J-integral calculation, the values
were determined at the centroid of the elements shown below.



|
.
|

\
|
+ =
2
3
sin
2
sin 1
2
cos
2
u u u
t
o
r
K
I
yy
LEFM Example
Demonstration problem: ANSYS direct method.
An ANSYS macro was created to calculate K
I
at each element
centroid.
The distribution of K
I
shows a wide range of values right near the
crack tip.



LEFM Example
Demonstration problem: ANSYS direct method.
To provide a more accurate result, consider only the first row of
elements directly in front of the crack tip.
Extrapolating K
I
versus radial distance from crack tip provides accurate
result.

K
I
= 223 psi-in
1/2