Crack path tracking from full field measurements: A novel empirical methodology

The identification of crack growth models requires the knowledge of the crack path geometry and, in particular, of the crack tip position. The objective of the present paper is to provide a criterion for the detection of the crack tip position regardless of the loading conditions or the material behavior. The novelty of the proposed approach is its ability to provide a good estimation of the crack tip even when large plastic deformations occur. The proposed empirical criterion uses the evolution of the displacement gradient standard deviation along a potential crack path to locate the crack tip. It thus relies on full field measures that are relatively smooth while providing accurate displacement vectors even close to the lips. We successfully apply the proposed criterion in two cases of fatigue crack growth: A straight crack at high temperature and a curved crack at room temperature involving large plastic deformations.