EM 508: Fracture Mechanics.

Instructor:

Professor Tribikram Kundu – Ph.621-6573, Office: Civil Engineering Building 324D

e-mail: tkundu@email.arizona.edu

Class Hours –- TTh - 2:00-3:15, Room: ECE 258

Office Hours –TTh: 3:15-4:30 p.m.

Grading Policy:

Home Work 20%

Term Project 10%

Mid Term 30%

Final (Wednesday, Dec. 12, 3:30-5:30 pm) 40%

Text Book:

Fundamentals of Fracture Mechanics, T. Kundu, Pub. CRC Press (Taylor and Francis), 2008,

ISBN 0-8493-8432-5

Reference Books:

T. Anderson, Fracture Mechanics, CRC Pub.

D. Broek, Elementary Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 4th Revised Edition, Kluwer

Academic Pub., 1991, ISBN 90-247-2656-5.

K. Hellan, Introduction to Fracture Mechanics, McGraw-Hill, 1984.

G. Sih, Handbook of Stress Intensity Factors.

Prerequisite: Fundamental knowledge of the mechanics of deformable solids and the

theory of elasticity (EM504, AME564A) is required. Prerequisite knowledge on the

theory of elasticity and mechanics of deformable solids that is required for fracture

mechanics is covered in the first chapter of the textbook.

Syllabus:

Introduction: Fundamentals of the Theory of Elasticity and Indicial Notations.

Elastic Crack Model: Elastic Stress Field at Crack Tip, William’s Problem, Stress

Intensity Factors, Fracture Toughness, Different Modes of fracture, Direction of Crack

Propagation.

Griffith Energy Balance: Basic Energy Balance, Fixed Grip and Fixed Force Conditions,

Strain Energy Release Rate, Experimental Calibration.

Plasticity Effects: Elementary estimates of Size and Shape of Plastic Zones, Plasticity

Correction Factor, Plane Strain vs. Plane Stress Conditions, Dugdale Model, Crack Tip

Opening, J-integral and its Applications.

Applied Fracture Mechanics: 3-D Effects at the Crack Front, Fatigue Crack Growth,

Penny and Elliptical Shaped Flaws, Part-Through Surface Cracks, Summary and Relevant

Crack Tip Stress Intensity Factors.

Numerical Stress Analysis: Boundary Collocation, Conventional Finite Elements,

Special Crack Tip Elements, Quarter Point Eight Node Isoparametric Elements.

Analytical Stress Analysis: Westergaard Stress Function.

Advanced Topics: Fracture Toughness of Fiber Reinforced Brittle Matrix Composites,

Stress Intensity Factors at Crack Corners, Interface Cracks.