Structure Elements with Crack-Type Defects Durability Estimation

Abstract

The objective of this study consists in elaborating computational procedures to analyze durability of structural elements with crack-type defects under remote alternating loads. The novelty of the proposed method consists both in applying new benchmark tests for crack propagation analysis, and analyz-ing structure durability for structure elements with different defects. The problem of the stress intensity factor estimation for mode I loading is re-duced to solution of a hypersingular integral equation. Analytical solutions of this equation with different right parts are obtained for penny-shape cracks. It is the basis for verifying boundary-type numerical methods. The problem of determining the number of cycles to failure for structural ele-ments subjected to cyclic loading (tension-compression) with a given fre-quency and amplitude is solved. The Paris dependence for fatigue crack growth has been used to determine the critical number of cycles before fail-ure. Numerical results characterizing the durability of structural elements with crack-like initial defects have been accomplished.