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On crack path selection in elastoplastic interlayers

delete2026-07-01
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PRE
AI
C
Charline van Innis *
T
Thomas Pardoen
DOI:10.1016/j.engfracmech.2026.112434delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Several structural components of technological relevance include elastoplastic interlayers, such as in adhesive joints, laminated composites, or multilayered coatings. The effective toughness strongly depends on the plastic dissipation within the interlayer and on the crack path, being both coupled. Predicting where the crack propagates within the layer is therefore essential for determining the cracking resistance of the assembly. An approach to simultaneously predict plastic dissipation inside an elastoplastic adhesive joint and the corresponding crack path is explored using a steady-state formalism. A cohesive-zone approach is adopted, with the crack path selected based on the phase angle, quantifying the mode-mixity at the crack tip extracted from the mode I and II works of fracture in the first cohesive element. This approach is validated against LEFMbased criteria and the J-vector criterion from static simulations. For an elastic layer, all criteria lead to the same crack-path selection. For an elastoplastic layer, the cohesive-element-based method and the J-vector criterion predict similar paths and reveal that plastic deformation and crack trajectory are coupled. This leads to crack deflection towards the interfaces when the zone of intense plasticity is larger than about one-tenth of the adhesive thickness. Consequently, plastic dissipation alongside elastic properties, joint dimensions, and T-stress influence the crack path in adhesive joints, which is important not only in the context of structural integrity assessment but also towards the design of efficient dissipative interlayers. In addition, the crack selects the path corresponding to the lowest fracture toughness, highlighting the importance of predicting the crack path.
Keywords:
Joints
Toughness
Plasticity
Cohesive-zone
Steady-state
Crack path

Journal

Engineering Fracture Mechanics cover
Engineering Fracture Mechanics
IF:
5.3
Papers:
5.0K
Citations:
3.2W

Organization

U
universite libre de bruxelles
Scholars:
391
Papers: 152
Citations: 0
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