A 2D MODEL FOR NUMERICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF STABLE CRACK-GROWTH IN THICK SMOOTH FRACTURE-MECHANICS SPECIMENS

A numerical simulation of the stable crack growth in a thick smooth co mpact tension specimen with two-dimensional elastic-plastic finite ele ment analyses is presented. The different fracture behaviors in the ce nter and near the side surfaces of the specimen were accounted for by using plane strain analysis for the center part and plane stress analy sis for the surface part. The input data to control the fracture initi ation and the crack growth, i.e. CTOD(i) and CTOA(C), were directly me asured from the center and the side surfaces of specimens. The calcula ted results were compared with the experimental ones. A satisfactory a greement was achieved.