Fracture Mechanics

Using
i
Workbench
kb
h
v14.5
Michael Bak
July 2013

2013 CAE Associates

Fracture Mechanics

Fracture mechanics is an important tool of engineering analysis that

makes it possible to determine whether:

a crack of given length

in a material of known fracture toughness
will propagate to fracture at a given stress level.

Theoretical Background

Fracture mechanics is based on the stress distribution at the tip of a crack

crack,
derived from elasticity theory:

3
cos 1 sin sin
2r
2
2 2

xx

KI

yy

KI

xy

KI

3
cos 1 sin sin
2
2 2
2r

3
cos sin sin
2r
2 2 2

Although the stress approaches infinity at the tip of the crack (as r 0),
the fracture behavior can be determined from the value of K
K, the stress
intensity factor.

Theoretical Background

Three primary modes of fracture:

Mode I: Tensile or opening mode.

Generally most critical.

Mode II: Sliding or shear mode

mode.
Mode III: Tearing mode.

Mixed mode fracture is also possible

Mixed-mode
possible.

Methods of Calculating K

ANSYS Mechanical and Mechanical APDL offer several different

methodologies to evaluate fracture:

Stress Intensity Factor (K or SIF) extraction.

J-Integral (J).
(J)
Energy release rate (G) using Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT).
Typically used for delamination.
Requires linear elements (mid-side
(mid side nodes not allowed).

For linear elastic materials G, J, and K are related:

Plane stress:

K2
J G
E

Plane strain:

K 2 1 2
J G
E

Fracture Toughness

Fracture toughness
toughness, KIC, is a measured material property
property.

K is
i a function
f
ti off the
th crackk geometry
t and
d the
th applied
li d lloading:
di

Found using standard specimens that are loaded until the crack extends.

If K > KIC: The crack will propagate.

Can also combine fracture with fatigue to determine cycles of repeated

loading until crack will propagate to failure.

Analysis Approaches

There are two g

general approaches
pp
to modeling
g
fracture using finite elements:
1.

Analyze
y the un-cracked bodyy in the finite
element analysis, extract the stress state at any
location to be evaluated, and use a stand-alone
crack propagation code.
Th
These codes
d use th
the fifinite
it element
l
t stresses
t
and
d
a library of crack geometries to determine K.
Can predict cycles to failure based on cyclic
loading information.

2.

Include the crack in the finite element model.

This is considered the most accurate approach
i l d stress
includes
t
redistribution.
di t ib ti
For crack propagation would need to evaluate the
initial crack, then extend the crack and re-analyze
to obtain K versus crack length.
This procedure becomes more difficult if crack
path is not known ahead of time.
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Fracture Mechanics Analysis

Creating a finite element mesh with a crack can be a challenging and timeconsuming effort.

In addition, it is often of interest to model various crack sizes to determine the

critical crack size and location.

Workbench v14.5 provides two options for quickly and efficiently including
a crack in the finite element model:

Pre-meshed crack that can be imported.

Using geometry from DesignModeler or mesh from FE Modeler.

Automatic crack creation within Mechanical.

Crack definition input can be assigned as parameters in Workbench.

Can parametrically model the effect of different size and locations of cracks
cracks.

Fracture Mechanics Analysis

Workbench uses the CINT (contour integration) approach to perform the

fracture post-processing calculations.

Conto rs are n
Contours
numbered
mbered o
outward
t ard from the crack front
front.

No limit on the number of contours user-controlled.

Radial/ring mesh is not required but usually results in more accurate solution.
F 3D models,
For
d l h
hexahedral
h d l elements
l
t are d
desirable.
i bl

Fracture Mechanics Analysis

The following capabilities available in Workbench will be demonstrated:

Creating cracks in 2D analyses using mesh connections.

Automatically creating flat semi-elliptical cracks in 3D analyses.
Obtaining fracture quantities in post
post-processing.
processing
Crack placement and coordinate system alignment normal to the surface.

MajorRadius

MinorRadius

10

Thank you!

Thank you for attending CAE Associates webinar on fracture

fracture.
You will receive via email a survey to fill out and return. We welcome any
comments or additional questions on the content.

A transcript of this presentation can be downloaded from our website:

www caeai com

www.caeai.com

11

Additional Information

The following slides provide more detailed information

information.

12

3D Automated Crack Procedure

The procedure to include a crack in an

existing model in Workbench v14.5 includes
the following steps:

Create base mesh (no cracks) must use

quadratic tetrahedrons in the region where the
crack will be modeled.
Create a crack coordinate system using the hit
point method to automatically create a local
coordinate system normal to the surface.
Insert the Fracture branch into the Outline Tree,
and insert a Crack Object
Object.
Define the crack geometry and mesh via the
Details of the Crack Object.

13

3D Automated Crack Procedure

Automatically define the location of the crack using the hit point coordinate
approach.

Toggle on the Hit Point Coordinate button in the Graphics Toolbar.

Select a point on a surface.

Right-click
Right
click the Graphics window and select Create Coordinate System Aligned
with Hit Point.

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3D Automated Crack Procedure

The Crack Shape is currently set to Semi-Elliptical

Semi-Elliptical.

Indicate the body where the crack will be scoped.

Indicate the local crack coordinate system.
Define the crack size and shape by major and minor
radii.

Crack lies in X-Z plane.

plane

Z is major direction, X is minor direction.

Y is perpendicular to crack face.
MajorRadius

MinorRadius

15

3D Automated Crack Procedure

Define mesh settings for crack.

crack

Can also automatically create named selections of

crack nodes
nodes.

For example, can create top and bottom crack face

nodes which can be used to apply pressure on the
crack faces.
faces

16

3D Automated Crack Procedure

Mesh crack which will eventually connect to base mesh

mesh.

Bonded contact used between buffer zone and base mesh.

R static
Run
t ti structural
t t l analysis.
l i

Insert Fracture Tool under Solution, and Insert either J-Integral or SIFS
Results.

VCCT is not available with the automated Crack Object since it requires linear
elements in Workbench v14.5.

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3D Automated Crack Procedure

Insert Fracture Tool under Solution

Solution, and Insert either J-Integral or SIFS
Results.

VCCT is not available with the automated Crack Object since it requires linear
elements in Workbench v14.5.

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3D Automated Crack Procedure

Graphics display and plot with contain crack front variation

variation.

Can export results to text or XLS file.

19

Using Parameters With Crack Object

Crack input and fracture output can be defined as parameters

parameters.

20

Using Parameters With Crack Object

Crack input and fracture output can be defined as parameters

parameters.

21