The effect of microdamage on fatigue-crack growth

The theory of fatigue-crack growth, based on a synthesis of fracture mechanics and continuum mechanics of microdamage accumulation, is applied to the problem of crack growth under cyclic loading, taking into account the plastic deformations in the tip zones. The model of a thin plastic zone, which is a region of considerable plastic deformations at the crack tip, is supplemented by taking into account the effect of microdamage on the value of the specific fracture work and the limit stresses in the tip zone. Governing equations which describe fatigue-crack growth taking these factors into account are derived. The effect of the material characteristics and the load parameters on the growth rate and the distribution of microdamage in the tip zone and on its extensions is investigated by a computational experiment. Particular attention is given to the initial stage when crack growth may occur abruptly and the growth rate depends substantially on the initial conditions. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.