Modeling of Crack Self-Healing Kinetics

A model based on the concept of interface crack bridging and thermofluctuation theory is proposed for analyzing the efficiency of crack self-healing in composite materials in view of three main stages: (1) crack initiation and growth under external load, (2) self-healing activation, and (3) self-healing with partial or complete bond recovery between crack faces. A system of singular integro-differential equations is derived for numerical estimations of bond tractions in bridging zones during their formation and stress intensity factors (major characteristics of crack self-healing efficiency) with account of external loads and bond tractions. Kinetic estimates are presented for the time of bond recovery during the formation of a crack bridging zone. The model is applied to an interface crack between two dissimilar materials with a self-healing adhesive.