SGBEM modeling of fatigue crack growth in particulate composites

The symmetric-Galerkin boundary element method (SGBEM) has previously been employed to model 2-D crack growth in particulate composites under quasi-static loading conditions. In this paper, an initial attempt is made in extending the simulation technique to analyze the interaction between a growing crack and clusters of perfectly bonded particles in a brittle matrix under cyclic loading conditions. To this end, linear elastic fracture mechanics and no hysteresis are assumed. Of particular interest is the role clusters of inclusions play on the fatigue life of particulate composites. The simulations employ a fatigue crack growth prediction tool based upon the SGBEM for multiregions, a modified quarter-point crack-tip element, the displacement correlation technique for evaluating stress intensity factors, a Paris law for fatigue crack growth rates, and the maximum principal stress criterion for crack-growth direction. The numerical results suggest that this fatigue crack growth prediction tool is as robust as the quasi-static crack growth prediction tool previously developed. The simulations also show a complex interplay between a propagating crack and an inclusion cluster of different densities when it comes to predicting the fatigue life of particulate composites with various volume fractions.