Purpose

Behavior of mode I crack tip in fiber metal laminate (FML) differs from that in homogeneous or plain specimen made of metal used in the laminate due to the load transfer effect in the laminate caused by property mismatch between dissimilar material layers. The purpose of this paper is to present a finite element investigation on the characteristics of crack tip in monotonically loaded and residually stressed FML.

Design/methodology/approach

Crack tip characteristics are assessed by: the sizes of various zones that form at the tip; and crack tip energy release rates. The same are found by modeling two types of Glare laminates under monotonic tension with different crack orientations in SSY regime – Type I and Type II. Residual stresses are externally introduced in the models. Delaminations are modeled by cohesive elements. Crack tip zone sizes are measured from finite element solutions. Values of J integrals are computed over cyclic paths near the crack tips. Identically cracked and loaded plain aluminum alloy specimens are also modeled for comparison.

Findings

The sizes of crack tip zones in Glare laminates are found to be different than those in plain specimens. Process zone is observed to form at crack tip in Type I laminate whereas it does not develop in Type II laminate, the reverse being true in plain specimens. Values of J integrals near crack tips are also found to deviate from those in plain specimens, higher in Type I laminate due to crack tip stress amplification and lower in Type II laminate due to stress reduction. Crack orientation decides the amplification or shielding effect in the laminate.

Research limitations/implications

There is scope for validating the numerical results reported in the paper by theoretical models.

Practical implications

The method to quantify crack tip shielding and amplification is presented that shall be useful in checking the structural integrity/safety of the laminate during actual service conditions.

Originality/value

Shielding and amplification effects are explicitly described and illustrated in the paper. Suitability of using J integrals over paths crossing non-homogeneous and property mismatched material layers is tested. Use of cohesive zone method that is readily applicable in finite element procedures and is relatively simple, fast and reasonably accurate is also demonstrated.