The role of microcracking on the crack growth resistance of brittle solids and composites
A set of numerical analyses of crack growth was preformed to elucidate the influence of microcracking on the fracture behavior of microcracking brittle solids and composites. The random nucleation, orientation and size effects of discrete nucleating microcracks and resulting interactions are fully accounted for in a hybrid finite element model. The results obtained from the finite element analysis are compared with the continuum description of the microcracking. Although continuum description can provide a reasonable estimation of shielding, it fails to resolve the details of micromechanism of toughening resulting from microcracking, since not every shielding event during the course of crack extension corresponds to an increase in the R-curve. Moreover, as seen in the composite cases, the local events leading to toughening behavior may not be associated with the microcracking even in the presence of a large population of microcracks.
- Research Organization:
- Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-82
- OSTI ID:
- 10190637
- Report Number(s):
- IS-M-806; ON: DE95001678; TRN: 94:021240
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: [1994]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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