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J.Veeranjaneyulu, Dr H.Raghavendra Rao / International Journal of Engineering Research and
Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 2, Issue 5, September- October 2012, pp.1168-1173
Simulation Of The Crack Propagation Using Fracture Mechanics
Techniques In Aero Structures
*J.Veeranjaneyulu, ** Dr H.Raghavendra Rao,
*
(Department of Mechanical Engineering, G Pulla Reddy Engineering College, Kurnool, A.P., India,)

ABSTRACT
The focus of this project is to investigate Fracture mechanics has developed into a useful
how a crack propagates and grows in a high discipline for predicting strength and life of cracked
grade Steel C45 material plate. By using the finite structures. Linear elastic fracture mechanics can be
element method software (ANSYS13) were used used in damage tolerance analysis to describe the
to simulate failure criteria and to compute the behaviour of crack. The fundamental assumption of
stresses and the stress-intensity factor. A specific linear elastic fracture mechanics is that the crack
object design was selected and a central crack behaviour is determined solely by the values of the
was investigated. This configuration was used stress intensity factors which area function of the
since the engineers often detect this type of crack applied load and the geometry of the cracked
in object. The Von Misses stress near the crack structure. The stress intensity factors thus play a
tip is compared against the yield strength of the fundamental role in linear elastic fracture mechanics
material. The Mode I stress-intensity factor is applications. Fracture mechanics deals with the
compared against the material’s fracture study of how a crack in a structure propagates under
toughness. The results show that the bracket can applied loads. It involves correlating analytical
tolerate small cracks in the structure. The fatigue predictions of crack propagation and failure with
strength of the structure is recommended to be experimental results. Calculating fracture
assessed in the future. parameters such as stress intensity factor in the
crack region, which is used to estimate the crack
Key words: Fracture Mechanics, ANSYS, growth, makes the analytical predictions. Some
Central Crack, Crack Propagation, Linear typical parameters are: Stress intensity factors
Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM), Finite (Open mode (a) KI, Shear mode (b) KII, Tear mode
Element Method, Stress Intensity Factor, High (c) KIII
Grade Steel C45.

I. INTRODUCTION:
Failure of the engineering structures is
caused by cracks, which is depending on the design
and operating conditions that extend beyond a safe
size. Cracks present to some extent in all structures,
either as a result of manufacturing defects or
localized damage in service. The crack growth leads
to a decrease in the structural strength. Thus, when
the service loading to the failure of the structure.
Fracture, the final catastrophic event takes place
very rapidly and is preceded by crack growth, which
develops slowly during normal service conditions.
Damage Tolerance (DT) assessment is a
procedure that defines whether a crack can be
sustained safely during the projected service life of
the structure. DT assessment is therefore required as Figure 1: Three Types Of Loading On A
a basis for any fracture control plan, generating the Cracked Body;
following information upon which fracture control (A) Mode I; (B) Mode Ii And (C) Mode
decision can be made: the effect of cracks on the Iii
structural residual strength, leading to the evaluation Energy release rate is the amount of work
of their maximum permissible size, and the crack associated with a crack opening or closure. The
growth as a function of time, leading to the evaluation of the stress field around the crack tip to
evaluation of the life of the crack to reach their show that, for pure opening mode and in the limit of
maximum permissible size from safe operational life linear elastic fracture mechanics, the vanishing
of the structure is defined. small fields fracture zone is surrounded by a linear
elastic material with stress and strain fields uniquely

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determined, for any type of loading, geometry or • Model creation
structure size, by the stress intensity factor KI,. • Elastic stress analysis of the uncracked body
It flows that a critical value KIC must exist • Flaw implementation
so that when the actual KI, is lower, no crack • Crack propagation
growth can take place. This reasoning may be • Elastic stress analysis of the cracked body
extended to other fracture mode to obtain fracture • Calculation of stress intensity factor
criteria. Hence, for pure shear mode and tear mode, • Interpretation of results
critical stress intensity factors KIIC, KIIIC may be
defined such that the crack growth may occur when IV MODEL & MATERIAL PROPERTIES
the critical value are reached. But these parameters Model is having with the dimensions of
give only information for pure mode loadings, and 0.4m in height, 0.4m in width, and crack length is
do not allow following the cracking process, which 0.02m. In addition, the symmetry boundary
in general involve change from pure to mixed conditions of steel plate as shown in bellow fig 2.
modes. For mixed modes, the straight approaches
consist that fracture may initiate the value of KI,
KII, KIII a critical condition.

II PROBLEM STATEMENT
Cracks often develop in the corners of a
structural member due to high stress concentration
factor in those areas. If one can calculate the rate of
crack growth, an engineer can schedule inspection
accordingly and repair or replace the part before
failure happens. Moreover, being able to predict the
path of a crack helps a designer to incorporate
adequate geometric tolerance in structural design to
increase the part life. While producing durable,
reliable and safe structures are the goals of every
aerospace component manufacturer, there are
technical challenges that are not easy to be solved.
Given limited engine design space, engineers strive
to optimize using material geometry to produce high
efficient and high performance engines that will
FIGURE 2: BASIC MODEL
operate at minimum weight and cost. Engineers
often look to shave materials from component and
Among all the steel based alloys, according
design the thinnest possible components. Benefits
to Immarigeon et al [3], high grade steel c45 is by
from this approach include reduced weight, and
far the most widely used, accounting for almost half
smaller probability of encountering brittleness
of all steel used in aircraft because the material can
inducing micro structural defects. The focus of this
increase the strength+to+weight ratio in structures
paper is to investigate the corner crack growth in a
and provide heat resistance with weight savings.
steel alloy plate. This paper will examine the
However, the significant weight savings permitted
stresses near the crack tip, compute the stress
by these steel application developments generate
intensity factors and compare it against material
specific drawbacks that need particular
toughness to determine the influence of the crack on
technological developments. Among the most
the plate.
important concerns are brittle inclusions, which are
difficult to detect by non-destructive testing, can
III METHODOLOGY initiate cracks and produce early failure of the
Engineers strive to optimize part geometry structures [2]. Materials imperfections due to
by designing the thinnest possible components manufacturing process, for example, voids and
because this approach not only reduce engine weight impurities can develop flaws that may cause the
but also reduce the risk of brittle structure often material to become weak. For those reasons, the
found in bulk materials. Being able to determine the material chosen in this study is high grade steel C45
rate of crack growth, an engineer can schedule and the properties are summarized in Table 1
inspection accordingly and repair or replace the part
before failure happens. Being able to predict the
path of a crack helps a designer to incorporate
adequate geometric tolerance in structural design to
increase the part life. The methodology used to
investigate the mechanics of crack propagation
consists of the following steps:

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TABLE 1 propagation may not occur, i.e., the problem is
Properties of High Grade Steel C45 static.

Values

Quantity Minimum Maximum Units
Density 7850 7850 Kg/m^3
Young’s 210000 210000 Mpa
modulus
Tensile 600 800 Mpa
Strength
Yield 340 400 Mpa
Strength
Poisson’s o.27 o.3
ratio
Elongation 16 16 %
Hardening 820 860 °C/water, oil b) Semi-Infinite plate with a center through crack
Thermal 11.7 11.7 e-6/K under tension
expansion
Thermal 46 46 W/m.K
Conductivity
Specific 500 500 J/kg.K
Heat
Melting 1540 1540 °C
Temp
Resistivity -0.45 -0.45 Ohm.mm2/m

TABLE 2
Chemical Composition of C45 Steel
Gra C(% Si(% Mn(%) P(%) S(%) Cr(%
de )min )min- min- max max )min-
-max max max max
C45 0.42- 0.15- 0.50- 0.025 0.025 0.20-
stee 0.50 0.35 0.80 0.40
l

A) Infinite Plate With Centre Through Crack
Under Tension

The concept of stress intensity factor plays
a central role in fracture mechanics. We now refer to
Tada [19] to present some classical examples of
cracked geometries - represented in Figure 3 - for FIGURE 3 A,B,C,D.
The stress intensity values for these
which the stress intensity factor has been computed
geometries are as follows, where the letters a) - d)
or approximated explicitly. It is assumed that crack

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used to identify the formulas are in correspondence this analysis in Figure 5, for which more data points
with those of the pictures in figure 3 were taken.
a) KI=σ C√ (Πa) ----------- (1)
b) KI=1.1215σ√(Πa) -----------(2) TABLE 3:
c) KI=σ√ (Πa) (1-0.025(a/b) 2+0.06(a/b) 4) Stress Intensity Factors
√ (sec (Πa/2b)) ------------ (3)
d) KI=σ√(Πa)√((2b/Πa) tan (Πa/2b)) Stress ansys Theoretical
0.75+2.02(a/b) 0.37(1-sin (Πa/2b) 3)/cos Intensity
(Πa/2b)) - (4) Factor

The previous examples involved 39.94 35.44
geometries of infinite dimensions. Ansys [1]
computed the stress intensity factor for the finite
geometry represented in Figure 4.
Stress Intensity
Factor
42
40
38
Stress
36 Intensity
34 Factor
32
Ansys Theoretical

FIGURE 5 STRESS INTENSITY FACTOR

In Table 4 we display some values of
FIGURE. 4: Finite Plates With A Centre KI/K0, whereK0 =σ c√πa, up to two significant
Through Crack Under Tension digits. It can be seen that our results, identified by
theoretical values by using of empirical formulas,
He considered a rectangular plate, of height are in line with those predicted by Ansys, and even
2h, width 2b, with a central through crack of length more so for smaller values of a/b. We further
2a, which was loaded from its upper and lower illustrate this analysis in Figure 6, for which more
edges by a uniform tensile stress (σ). For this data points were taken.
particular geometry, he estimated
TABLE 4:
KI=σ√(Πa)(1+0.043(a/b)+0.491(a/b)2+7.125(a/b)3 STRESS INTENSITY FACTORS
-28.403(a/b)4+59.583(a/b)5-
65.278(a/b)6+29.762(a/b)7 -------------
(5) a/b a/b a/b a/b a/b a/b a/b=0.1
=0. =0. =0. =0. =0. =0. 75
Using the numerical package Ansys 13, we 02 05 07 1 12 15
also determined the value of the stress intensity 5 5 5
factor KI for the same geometry. This was computed
using finite elements on a mesh with quadratic Ansys 39. 50. 61. 71. 81. 89. 98.43
triangular elements on the vicinity of the crack tip, 94 69 73 93 09 73
and quadratic rectangular elements everywhere else.
Quarter point elements, formed by placing the mid-
side node near the crack tip at the quarter point, Theor 35. 50. 62. 72. 82. 91. 101.82
were used to account for the crack singularity. More etical 44 11 21 60 29 71
details can be seen in [4].
In table 3 we display basically taken typical
Steel aerospace object results. We further illustrate

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120 200
180
100 160
140
80
120
100 h/b=0.25
60
Ansys 80 h/b=0.5
40 60 h/b=0.75
Theoretical
40 h/b=1
20
20
0 0
a/b=0.05

a/b=0.15
a/b=0.075

a/b=0.175
a/b=0.025

a/b=0.125
a/b=0.1

FIGURE 7
FIGURE 6
V ANALYSIS OF FAILURE CRITERIA
As we had already mentioned, the stress A static fracture analysis was performed,
intensity factor depends on the geometry of the plate where the goal was merely to compute the stress
we are considering. In particular, it depends on the intensity factors.
ratio h/b. On Table 5 we display the values of V.1.Steps in Analysis Procedure:
KI/K0, determined again using Ansys, for different 1. Pre-Processing
geometries. 1. Give the job Name
2. Define Element Type
TABLE 5: 3. Define Material Properties
Values Of Ki/Ko For Different Geometries 4. Define Key Points
5. Define Line Segments
6. Discretize Lines L3, L4&L5
a/b=0 a/b=0 a/b=0 a/b=0 a/b=0
7. Create the Concentration Key point (Crack Tip)
.025 .175 .125 .175 .225
8. Create the Area
h/b=0.25 35.97 67.59 99.63 137.0 180.3
9. Apply Boundary Conditions
5 6
10. Apply Loads
h/b=0.5 35.83 63.09 85.06 106.7 129.8
11. Mesh the Model
6 7 2. Processing (Solving the Solution)
h/b=0.75 35.10 62.33 82.70 100.7 119.0 3. Post Processing
9 7 3
 Zoom the Crack-Tip Region
h/b=1 39.94 61.73 81.09 98.34 114.0
 Define Crack-Face Path
3
 Define Local Crack-Tip Coordinate System
We note that as the value of h/b increases,  Activate the Local Crack-Tip Coordinate
the values of KI/K0 tend to the values of the last line System
(h/b=0.4/0.4=1), which refers to values that we  Define the Model-1 crack deformation
would expect for an Infinite plate with centre Define the Model-1 Stress Intensity Factor
through crack under tension, as in Figure 3-a. We using KCALC
have computed these using the values of KI (from  Define the model-1 failure criteria From
the formula 1). To better illustrate this idea, we these figures it seems that there stress
conclude with the graphical representations of the intensity factor & failure criteria of crack
values of Table 4 on Figure 7. propagation to occur mainly in mode 1,
during continued fracture.

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REFERENCES
[1] M.H.Aliabadi and M.H.L’opez. Database
of stress intensity factors. Computational
mechanics Publications, 1996.
[2] S. N. Atluri. Path independent integrals in
finite elasticity and inelas-ticity with body
forces, inertia and arbitrary crack-face
conditions.Eng.Fract. Mech, 16:341-364,
1982.
[3] M. F. Ashby and D. R. Jones.Engineering
materials 1, an introduction to their
properties and applications, Butterworth
Heinemann, 1996.
[4] R. S. Barsoum. Triangular quarter-point
elements as elastic and perfectly-plastic
crack tip elements.Int. J. for Num. Meth.in
Figure 8 Eng., 11:85-98, 1977.
[5] D.Broek.Elementaryengineering fracture
mechanics. Kluwer Academic Publishers,
Dordrecht, 1986.
[6] G.P.Cherepanov.Mechanics of Brittle
Fracture. MacDraw-Hill, New York 1979.
[7] L.B.Freund. Dynamic Fracture Mechanics.
Cambridge University Press, 1990.
[8] A. A. Griffith. The phenomena of rupture
and flows in solids.Phil. Trans.Roy. Soc.
London, A221:163-197, 1921.
[9] D. Hegen.An Element-free Galerkin
Method for Crack Propagation in Brittle
Materials. PhD thesis, Eindhoven
University of Technology, 1997.
[10] C. E. Inglis. Stresses in a plate due to the
presence of cracks and sharp
corners.Proc.Inst. Naval Architects, 60,
1913.
[11] G. R. Irwin. Analysis of stresses and strains
Figure 9
near the end of a crack transversing a plate.
Trans. A.S.M.E., J. Applied Mechanics,
361-364, 1957.
[12] G. R. Irwin. Fracture. Encyclopedia of
Physics (Handbuch der Physic), Vol IV,
Springer, Berlin, 1958.
[13] G. R. Irwin. Fracture. Encyclopedia of
Physics (Handbuch der Physic)”, Vol VI,
Fl¨ugge (Ed.), Springer Verlag, Berlin 551-
590, 1958.

Figure 10

 From these figures it seems that there stress
intensity factor & failure criteria of crack
propagation to occur mainly in mode 1,
during continued fracture.

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