Validated simulations of dynamic crack propagation in single crystals using EFEM and XFEM

Journal Article · Sat Nov 17 00:00:00 EST 2018 · International Journal of Fracture

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-018-0330-7· OSTI ID:1484639

Zeng, Q. ^[1]; Motamedi, M. H. ^[1]; Leong, A .F. T. ^[1]; Daphalapurkar, Nitin Pandurang  ^[2]; Hufnagel, T. C. ^[1]; Ramesh, K. T. ^[1]

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1. Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States)
2. Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States); Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Brittle and quasibrittle materials such as ceramics and geomaterials fail through dynamic crack propagation during impact events. Simulations of such events are important in a number of applications. In this paper, we compare the effectiveness of the embedded finite element method (EFEM) and the extended finite element method (XFEM) in modeling dynamic crack propagation by validating each approach against an impact experiment performed on single crystal quartz together with in-situ imaging of the dynamic fracture using X-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI). The experiment is conducted in a Kolsky bar (generating a strain rate on the order of 10³ s^-1) that is operated at the synchrotron facilities at the advanced photon source (APS). The in situ XPCI technique can record the dynamic crack propagation with micron-scale spatial resolution and sub-microsecond temporal resolution, and the corresponding images are used to extract the time-resolved crack propagation path and velocity. A unified framework is first presented for the dynamic discretization formulations of EFEM and XFEM. This framework clarifies the differences between the two methods in enrichment techniques and numerical solution schemes. In both cases, a cohesive law is used to describe the fracture process after crack initiation. The simulations of the dynamic fracture experiment using the two simulation approaches are compared with the in situ experimental observations and measurements. Finally, the performance of each method is discussed with respect to capturing the early crack propagation process.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001
• OSTI ID: 1484639
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-18-21043
• Journal Information: International Journal of Fracture, Vol. 215, Issue 1-2; ISSN 0376-9429
• Publisher: Springer
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English