Computer Simulation Method for Crack Growth Using Surface Energy and Its Application to Interface Stripping of Composite Material : 1st Report: Applicability of Interface Element

Abstract

A new computer simulation method has been developed in order to simulate the fracture phenomena such as crack growth and interface stripping in composite material which can be considered as the formation of new surface with the crack extension. Based on the fact that surface energy must be supplied for the formation of new surface, a finite element method in which a potential function representing the surface energy is introduced is developed. The Rennard-Jones type potential commonly used in molecular dynamics is chosen to describe the surface energy in the present study. The proposed method is applied to model-I crack propagation problems and its validity is examined.