Dynamic Finite Element and Dynamic Photoelastic Analyses of Crack Arrest in Homalite-100 Plates

Abstract

A dynamic finite element code, HONDO, was used to analyze four dynamic photoelastic experiments in which the propagating crack arrested. The time-averaged crack-tip velocity in the finite element model was matched with the measured crack-tip velocity in the dynamic photoelastic experiments. Dynamic energy release rates were computed by a procedure similar to that used in computing strain energy release rate in static finite element analysis. These directly computed dynamic energy release rates at crack arrest agreed reasonably well with those computed from the dynamic stress intensity factors determined photoelastically. The energy release rates at crack arrest in the four Homalite-100 plates were approximately 50 percent of the critical strain energy release rate, ςC, and were approximately 80 percent of the corresponding static strain energy release rates.