Automatic Mixed-mode Crack Propagation and Fatigue Growth Without Domain Remeshing

Automatic crack propagation and stable fatigue crack growth as complicate problems in fracture mechanics are studied. In this study The Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) is utilized because of several drawbacks in standard finite element method in crack propagation modeling. Estimated Crack paths are obtained by using Level Set Method (LSM) in coupling with XFEM for 2D mixed mode crack propagation problems. Stress intensity factors for mixed mode crack problems are numerically calculated by using interaction integral method completely based on familiar path independent J-integral method. Different crack path growths are shown for different types of boundary conditions. Also, stable fatigue crack growth due to numerous cycles of loading using Paris law is presented. Finally, some experimental results and analytical solutions for stress intensity factors are concerned to guarantee the numerical estimated crack path growths and stress intensity factors respectively.