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Fracture Mechanics in Ansys Mechanical 145 PDF
Fracture Mechanics in Ansys Mechanical 145 PDF
Fracture Mechanics in Ansys Mechanical 145 PDF
Fracture Mechanics in ANSYS
Mechanical R14.5
1 © 2013 ANSYS, Inc. June 20, 2013 ANSYS Confidential
Introduction
Traditional structural design uses a strength‐of‐material approach to
assess structural integrity
– does not consider the effect of flaws which can significantly degrade
structural integrity
Using fracture mechanics methods that include the effect of flaws is
becoming common practice in many industries
Fracture mechanics describe crack behavior using concepts from
both applied mechanics and material science
– cracks propagate by the combined effect of stress and flaws
Commonly represented using one of 3 fracture parameters
– stress intensity factors (K or SIFs)
• characterizes stress state near crack tip
– J‐Integral (J or JINT)
• contour‐integral around the crack tip that is equal to the change in
potential energy due to incremental crack advance
– energy release rate (G)
• energy required to create newly formed crack surfaces
ANSYS Mechanical and Mechanical APDL use the
– Domain Integral method to calculate J‐integral
– Interaction Integral method to extract the stress intensity factors (SIFs)
from the J‐integral results
• single mode and mixed‐mode
– Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) to characterize the energy release
rate (G) (e.g. delamination of composite structures)
• only method applicable to non‐isotropic materials
Domain Integral approach calculates J‐integral at radial contours from
crack tip
– J‐integral is path independent
– results should converge within a few contours
1. Construct FE mesh with embedded crack(s)
2. Apply boundary conditions
3. Issue MAPDL CINT commands in Command Objects
– CINT is a /SOLU module command
4. Solve
5. Post‐process by issuing MAPDL /POST1 commands in
Command Objects
ANSYS Mechanical R14.5 includes powerful new fracture mechanics
features that make this process easier to use, more robust, and
more efficient
Crack Object provides automated tools for embedding crack(s) into
existing meshes
– significant ease‐of‐use enhancement
• creating well‐shaped, efficient cracked meshes can be difficult
• reduces need to use tools like DM to create crack(s) in solid model
Pre‐Meshed Crack Object enables fracture mechanics calculations to be
performed on cracked meshes directly within the Mechanical interface
– eliminates need to use Command Objects to access the MAPDL CINT
command
Fracture Tool enables post‐processing of fracture mechanics directly
within the Mechanical interface
– eliminates need to use Command Objects to access MAPDL /POST1
commands
6 © 2013 ANSYS, Inc. June 20, 2013 ANSYS Confidential
Fracture Folder
Fracture Folder must be first inserted from the Model toolbar
– Crack and Pre‐Meshed Crack Objects can then be accessed
– new in R14.5
To compute fracture parameters for all cracks defined under the
Fracture folder, set the “Fracture” solver control to “ON”
– located under Solver Controls on the Analysis Settings
– inserts appropriate MAPDL CINT commands into the ds.dat
Crack Object inserts a semi‐elliptical crack into an existing non‐
cracked mesh
– eliminates need to manually embed semi‐elliptical crack(s) in solid model
– robust set of tools for creating well‐shaped mesh in cracked region
– automatically connects cracked region to full model
• Create full model with non‐cracked mesh
• Insert Fracture Folder
• Insert Crack Object under Fracture Folder
• Identify crack location with coordinate system
• Specify major and minor radii for crack
• Specify any optional data for cracked region
• Generate mesh in Crack Object
• Set Fracture solver control to “ON”
• Solve
• Insert Fracture Tool
• Post‐process fracture results
To create cracked mesh, issue “Generate All Crack Meshes” under
the Fracture Folder
– clears the base mesh from the Fracture Affected Zone and Buffer Zone
– inserts cracked mesh template inside the Fracture Affected Zone
– creates radial patterned mesh around crack
– creates mesh in remainder of Fracture Affected Zone
– creates mesh in Buffer Zone
• region between the Fracture Affected Zone and the base mesh
– connects Fracture Affected Zone mesh to Buffer Zone mesh using MPC
contact
Only Major and Minor
radii are required
cracked mesh
Pre‐Meshed Crack Object performs fracture mechanics calculations on
imported meshes with existing cracks
Enables fracture mechanics calculations to be performed on cracks of
any shape
Can be used to assess cracks in 2D models
– mesh connections can be used to close one side of the crack
Eliminates need to issue MAPDL CINT commands from within
Command Objects
Allows use of Fracture Tool for post‐processing within Mechanical
• Create full FE model with embedded crack(s)
• Insert Fracture Folder
• Insert Pre‐Meshed Crack Object
• Set Fracture solver control to “ON”
• Solve
• Insert Fracture Tool
• Post‐process fracture results
Fracture Tool is used to post‐process fracture mechanics directly
within the Mechanical interface
– eliminates need to use Command Objects to access MAPDL /POST1
commands
Solution Branch > RMB > Insert “Fracture Tool” > pick result type
Fracture results can be plotted, graphed,
and/or listed
– X axis of graph and length in table is
the distance along the crack front
– tabular results can be exported to text
files or xls file
Create full structural model
– solid model, mesh, boundary conditions, etc.
– create coordinate system at crack center
Insert “Fracture” folder
Insert Crack Object under Fracture Folder
Set Fracture solver control to ON
18 © 2013 ANSYS, Inc. June 20, 2013 ANSYS Confidential
Crack Object Example
Specify Crack Object details
Generate cracked mesh
Solve
Insert Fracture Tool
Post‐process
Import model from FE Modeler into Mechanical
Specify crack coordinate system and Named Selection containing
crack front nodes
Insert “Fracture” folder
Insert Pre‐Meshed Crack Object under Fracture Folder
Set Fracture solver control to ON
Solve
Insert Fracture Tool and post‐process