Three-dimensional finite element simulation of crack extension in aluminium alloy 2024FC

A simulation of 3D crack extension using a cohesive zone model (CZM) has be en carried out for a side-grooved compact tension specimen and a surface-cr ack tension specimen of aluminium 2024FC. Detailed finite element calculati ons were conducted by assuming crack extension only along the crack plane ( mode I). For comparison, a 2D plane strain simulation is also presented. Lo ad, displacement and crack extension histories are predicted and compared w ith the experiment. It is shown that the 2D approximation appears to agree reasonably well with experimental results, and that the 3D calculation give s very good agreement with test data. The determination of the CZM paramete rs is also discussed. Numerical results show that the CZM is a workable com putational model which involves only a few microstructurally motivated phen omenological parameters for crack extension simulation.