Numerical simulation of the interaction between a crack and an inclusion: The role of T-stress for 2D composite materials

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose the interaction integral method combing with a XFEM-based local mesh replacement method to evaluate both the stress intensity factors (SIFs) and T-stress at the crack tip near a circular inclusion.

Design/methodology/approach

Special attention is pay to the effect of T-stress on crack initiation angle in 2D composite medium. The generalized maximum tangential stress criterion is employed during the simulation which simultaneously involves the effects of the mixed-mode SIFs, the T-stress and a physical length scale r_c (the size of the fracture process zone).

Findings

It is shown that T-stress could affect the crack initiation angle significantly for mixed-mode conditions. Varies types of material mismatch are also considered and their influences on T-stress are given quantitatively.

Originality/value

The proposed numerical method allows a considerable flexibility for such problems and provides a basic framework for quasi-static crack growth in materials containing complex interfaces.

Citation

Wang, Z., Gu, J., Hou, C. and Song, M. (2018), "Numerical simulation of the interaction between a crack and an inclusion: The role of T-stress for 2D composite materials", Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 14 No. 2, pp. 339-359. https://doi.org/10.1108/MMMS-03-2017-0014