Premium
Experimental investigation of crack growth direction in multiple cracks
Author(s) -
GOPE P. C.,
THAKUR A.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
fatigue and fracture of engineering materials and structures
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1460-2695
pISSN - 8756-758X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-2695.2011.01574.x
Subject(s) - crack tip opening displacement , crack growth resistance curve , crack closure , materials science , offset (computer science) , structural engineering , coalescence (physics) , fracture mechanics , paris' law , aluminium , limiting , composite material , mechanics , engineering , computer science , physics , mechanical engineering , astrobiology , programming language
In this paper, the interaction between multiple cracks in crack growth direction is studied in an aluminium alloy under static and fatigue loading. Self similar as well as non‐self‐similar crack growth has been observed which depends on the relative crack positions defined by crack offset distance and crack tip distance. On the basis of experimental observations, the criterion for crack coalescence and crack growth direction are expressed in terms of the crack positions defined by crack offset and crack tip distances. The criterion presented in this study can be used to determine the limiting value of crack tip and crack offset distance and to determine the mode in which cracks coalesce during their growth process. Experimental results and crack interaction criterion presented under various crack positions and size conditions could be used to derive a new evaluation method of crack growth in multiple crack geometry.