CHILES 2: a finite element computer program that calculates the intensities of linear elastic singularities in isotropic and orthotropic materials (original) (raw)

Update: Application of the Finite Element Method to Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics

Applied Mechanics Reviews, 2010

Since the previous paper was written (Banks-Sills, 1991, “Application of the Finite Element Method to Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics,” Appl. Mech. Rev., 44, pp. 447–461), much progress has been made in applying the finite element method to linear elastic fracture mechanics. In this paper, the problem of calculating stress intensity factors in two- and three-dimensional mixed mode problems will be considered for isotropic and anisotropic materials. The square-root singular stresses in the neighborhood of the crack tip will be modeled by quarter-point, square and collapsed, triangular elements for two-dimensional problems, respectively, and by brick and collapsed, prismatic elements in three dimensions. The stress intensity factors are obtained by means of the interaction energy or M-integral. Displacement extrapolation is employed as a check on the results. In addition, the problem of interface cracks between homogeneous, isotropic, and anisotropic materials is presented. The purp...

A singular element for a new experimental method of fracture toughness determination

Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 1983

For a fracture toughness determination under dynamic as well as under quasistatic conditions a new experimental method was formerly proposed . In this method a specimen of a modified shape, as compared to the standard CT specimen is used. For practical applications of this method, a compliance function of the specimen must be known. In the presented paper this function is calculated by the finite element method. For this purpose a singular three nodal element has been constructed. The element enables exact description of singularities for elastic as well as work hardening elastic-plastic materials. A stiffness matrix of this element is given explicitly, and does not require any numerical integration.

Study of crack propagation in orthotropic materials by using the boundary element method

Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 1990

The application of the Boundary Element Method (BEM) to the computation of stress intensity factors (SIF) and the crack propagation angle in orthotropic materials is the aim of this paper. The computer program includes isoparamet~c linear, quadratic and quarter-point-tmctionsingular elements in order to obtain the stress distribution around the crack tips. A multidomain approach is followed in order to avoid the geometric singularity that appears in the double-node method. Different methods to compute the SIF are compared for several cases. Finally, the maximum circumferential stress approach is used to obtain the crack propagation angle in a mixed-mode propagation problem in an orthotropic material.

Formulation and implementation of a singular anisotropic finite element

Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics, 1993

The formulation and implementation of a singular finite element for analyzing homogeneous anisotropic materials is presented in this paper. Lekhnitskii's stress function method is used to formulate the boundary value problem with the stress function expressed as a Laurent series. The development of the element stiffness matrix and the method of integrating the element to conventional displacement based finite element programs is shown. The stiffness matrix generation is based on a least squares collocation technique to satisfy displacement continuity boundary conditions at the element interface. Implementation of the element is demonstrated for cracked anisotropic materials subjected to inplane loading. Center cracked, on and off-axis coupons under tensile loading are analyzed using the element. It is shown that the stress distributions and intensity factors compare well with those obtained using other methods.

Numerical evaluation of the quarter-point crack tip element

International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, 1984

This paper attempts to answer two commonly raised questions during the preparation of a finite element mesh, for the linear elastic fracture analysis of cracked structure: how to set up the finite element mesh around the crack tip, and what level of accuracy is to be expected from such a modelling.

Application of singular quadratic distorted isoparametric elements in linear fracture mechanics

International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, 1993

The understanding of the performance of the quarter-point and transition elements is of considerable importance as these singular elements are widely used in linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) analyses. However, a number of issues remain unresolved although numerous investigations into their performance have been conducted. In particular is the question of optimum quarter-point element and transition-element size. This study examines several aspects in relation to the size effect by performing a large number of numerical analyses on several standard problems. Interpretation of the numerical results was aided by the use of two concepts, the 'zones of dominance' and 'zones of representation'. This study proposes a means of explaining the errors in stress intensity factor computation through the interaction between both types of zones. Consequently, a number of new and significant observations were made regarding the singular elements' performance. This study concludes with some recommendations for the application of these elements.

On the use of quarter-point tetrahedral finite elements in linear elastic fracture mechanics

Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 2015

This paper discusses the reproduction of the square root singularity in quarter-point tetrahedral (QPT) finite elements. Numerical results confirm that the stress singularity is modeled accurately in a fully unstructured mesh by using QPTs. A displacement correlation (DC) scheme is proposed in combination with QPTs to compute stress intensity factors (SIF) from arbitrary meshes, yielding an average error of 2 − 3%. This straightforward method is computationally cheap and easy to implement. The results of an extensive parametric study also suggest the existence of an optimum mesh-dependent distance from the crack front at which the DC method computes the most accurate SIFs.

Optimized Mesh-free Analysis for the Singularity Subtraction Technique of Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics

Global journal of research in engineering, 2022

In linear elastic fracture mechanics, the stress field is singular at the tip of a crack. Since the representation of this singularity in a numerical model raises considerable numerical difficulties, the paper uses a strategy that regularizes the elastic field, subtracting the singularity from the stress field, known as the singularity subtraction technique (SST). In this paper, the SST is implemented in a local mesh-free numerical model, coupled with modern optimization schemes, used for solving twodimensional problems of the linear elastic fracture mechanics. The mesh-free numerical model (ILMF) considers the approximation of the elastic field with moving least squares (MLS) and implements a reduced numerical integration. Since the ILMF model implements the singularity subtraction technique that performs a regularization of the stress field, the mesh-free analysis does not require a refined discretization to obtain accurate results and therefore, is a very efficient numerical analysis.