Are you, or someone you know, interested in learning about the latest developments happening right now in Fracture Mechanics? Would you like the chance to meet a wide range of experts from across the industry? Do you want to know more about the uses and capabilities of Crack Growth Analysis tools? All of these opportunities and more are available to you at the AFGROW Users Workshop.
The purpose of the Workshop is to provide a forum for AFGROW Users to come together to exchange information and best-practices, network with peers from the industry, and get a chance to talk with the AFGROW developers and community.
Group discussions will also provide direction for new capabilities and improvements, best practice methods, and tips and tricks from the experts. The AFGROW team will also provide information on our latest development efforts for the upcoming year.
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Section 5.1.0. Basic Information
Crack growth is a result of cyclic loading due to gusts and
maneuvers (fatigue cracking), or of the combined action of sustained loading
and environment (stress-corrosion cracking), or both. The most common crack growth mechanisms are fatigue crack growth
and environment-assisted (corrosion) fatigue crack growth. Certain aircraft parts, especially
high-strength forgings, may be liable to stress-corrosion cracking. Since there is a design threshold for stress
corrosion, proper detail design and proper material selection can minimize or
prevent stress corrosion. Fatigue
cracking is difficult to prevent, but it can be controlled.
To predict crack growth behavior such as illustrated in Figure 5.1.1, the following information must be
available:
·
The stress-intensity factor, described as a function of
crack size, for the relevant structural and crack geometry;
·
The stress (load) – time history, described for the
structural location component or structure under consideration;
·
The baseline crack growth properties (constant
amplitude crack growth rate data), described as a function of the stress
intensity factor, for the material and for the relevant environment;
·
A damage integration routine that integrates the crack
growth rate to produce a crack growth curve, and uses the proper stress-time
history, the proper stress intensity formulation, and an appropriate
integration rule.
This section provides guidelines to arrive at crack growth
estimates, and points out where deficiencies in knowledge and analysis methods
lead to inaccuracies.

Figure 5.1.1. Typical Crack Growth-life Curve