Elastic plastic fracture: Energy and applications

Abstract

The energy consumed in the growth of crack in an elastic-plastic material is mostly the work associated with plastic deformation around the crack. Methods for computing G and J in elastic-plastic fracture are discussed in this chapter. The limitations of a J based approach to predicting fracture are explored as are several other criteria for ductile fracture, including the J–Q theory, critical crack tip opening angle and the use of cohesive zone models.