Fatigue crack growth prediction methods using three-dimensional finite element analyses were investigated to improve the predictability of part-through surface crack growth life. First, a direct analysis method of cyclic finite element analysis was adopted. Fatigue crack growth was predicted on a step by step basis from the Paris’ law using stress intensity factor range ΔK calculated by the three-dimensional finite element method. This method takes the procedure of cyclic operation of finite element analysis modeled with crack tip elements, crack growth increment calculation and remeshing of the finite element model. Second, a method based on the influence function method for the ΔK calculation directly using three-dimensional finite element method analysis result has been developed and applied. It was found that crack growth prediction based on the step by step finite element method and the method based on the influence function method showed good correlation with the experimental results if Paris’ law coefficient C, determined by CT specimen, was appropriately used for a semi-elliptical surface crack.

Issue Section:
Technical Papers
Keywords:
fatigue cracks, finite element analysis
Topics:
Fatigue cracks, Finite element methods, Fracture (Materials), Stress, Stress concentration, Surface cracks, Finite element analysis
1.
Lin
,
X. B.
, and
Smith
,
R. A.
,
1997
, “
An Improved Numerical Technique for Simulating the Growth of Planar Fatigue Cracks
,”
Fatigue Fract. Eng. Mater. Struct.
,
20
(
10
), pp.
1363
–
1373
.
2.
Lin
,
X. B.
, and
Smith
,
R. A.
,
1998
, “
Fatigue Growth Simulation for Cracks in Notched and Unnotched Round Bars
,”
Int. J. Mech. Sci.
,
40
(
5
), pp.
405
–
419
.
3.
Lin
,
X. B.
, and
Smith
,
R. A.
,
1998
, “
Fatigue Shape Analysis for Corner Cracks at Fastener Holes
,”
Eng. Fract. Mech.
,
59
(
1
), pp.
73
–
87
.
4.
Shiratori
,
M.
,
Miyoshi
,
T.
, and
Tanigawa
,
K.
,
1985
, “
Analysis of Stress Intensity Factors for Surface Cracks Subject to Arbitrary Distributed Surface Stresses
,”
Trans. Jpn. Soc. Mech. Eng.
,
51
(
467
), pp.
1828
–
1835
(in Japanese).
5.
Shiratori, M., Miyoshi, T., Yu, Q., Terakado, T., and Matsumoto, T., 1999, “Development of a Software System Estimating Stress Intensity Factors and Fatigue Crack Propagation for Three-Dimensional Surface Cracks by an Influence Function Method,” Computer Technology-1999 ASME, New York, PVP-Vol. 385, pp. 299–309.
6.
Yamashita
,
Y.
,
Sakano
,
K.
, and
Shiratori
,
M.
,
2001
, “
Improvement of Predictability of Fatigue Crack Growth Analysis—A Simplified Method of Fatigue Crack Growth Analysis Using Database of Influence Coefficients
,”
IHI Eng. Rev.
,
34
(
3
), pp.
67
–
74
.
7.
Newman
, Jr.,
J. C.
, and
Raju
,
I. S.
,
1981
, “
An Empirical Stress-Intensity Factor Equation for the Surface Crack
,”
Eng. Fract. Mech.
,
15
, pp.
185
–
192
.
8.
Jolles, M., and Tortoriello, V., 1983, “Geometry Variations During Fatigue Growth of Surface Flaws,” Fracture Mechanics, ASTM-STP-791, Vol. I, pp. I-297–I-307.
9.
Hosseini
,
A.
, and
Mahmoud
,
M. A.
,
1985
, “
Evaluation of Stress Intensity Factor and Fatigue Growth of Surface Cracks in Tension Plates
,”
Eng. Fract. Mech.
,
22
, pp.
957
–
974
.
10.
Corn
,
D. L.
,
1971
, “
A Study of Cracking Techniques for Obtaining Partial Thickness Cracks of Pre-selected Depths and Shapes
,”
Eng. Fract. Mech.
,
3
(
1
), pp.
45
–
52
.
11.
Barsoum
,
R. S.
,
1976
, “
On the Use of Isoparametric Finite Elements in Linear Fracture Mechanics
,”
Int. J. Numer. Methods Eng.
,
10
, pp.
25
–
37
.
12.
Raju
,
I. S.
, and
Newman
, Jr.,
J. C.
,
1979
, “
Stress-Intensity Factors for a Wide Range of Semi-Elliptical Surface Cracks in Finite-Thickness Plates
,”
Eng. Fract. Mech.
,
11
, pp.
817
–
829
.
Copyright © 2004
 by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.